Man heads to trial on charge he gave beer to underage fan who fell at PNC Park

Ethan Kirkwood had one count withdrawn in exchange for waiving his preliminary hearing.

By PAULA REED WARD
TribLive

A man charged with buying beer at a Pirates game this year for his underage friend — who then fell more than 20 feet to the field below — waived his preliminary hearing on Monday.

Ethan Kirkwood, 21, of Liberty will proceed to court on one of two counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

The second count was withdrawn by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office in exchange for waiving the hearing, said defense attorney, William Stockey.

According to Stockey, Kavan Markwood, who was severely injured in the fall, walked into Pittsburgh Municipal Court on Monday with Kirkwood.

Stockey described the two like “brothers” and said they’ve been that way since they were 2 years old.

“They were best of friends and still are,” Stockey told TribLive Monday.

According to a criminal complaint in the case, Kirkwood and Markwood, were at PNC Park on April 30 when Kirkwood purchased two 24-ounce cans of Miller Lite shortly before 7 p.m.

Markwood was 20, below the legal drinking age of 21.

Video from the park showed both men walking away from the bar area, each with one can.

In the seventh inning, Andrew McCutchen doubled, driving in the go-ahead run, when Markwood, who was celebrating, fell over a low railing. He tumbled over the Clemente wall and onto the field.

Markwood sustained a brain injury, as well as injuries to his spine, ribs, lungs, back and neck.

Stockey said that Markwood has fully recovered from his injuries.

“He’s really blessed that way,” Stockey said. “It was a freak accident when he jumped up.”

Police filed charges in the incident in May.

According to court records, Kirkwood was previously charged by police at Indiana University of Pennsylvania police with purchasing alcohol for a minor and public drunkenness following an incident in October 2022.

He pleaded guilty to the IUP case in 2023 and paid $214 in fines, according to court records.

A week after the plea, Kirkwood was charged with purchasing alcohol for a minor and public drunkenness by Slippery Rock University police, court records show. He pleaded guilty to those two counts and paid $865 in fines.

On Sept. 20, Markwood threw out the first pitch at PNC Park when the Pirates hosted the Athletics, drawing a rousing ovation when he took the pitcher’s mound in a custom jersey.

Markwood said he doesn’t have many memories from the game at which he was injured other than walking into the ballpark, sitting down in his seat in the front row of Section 142 and chatting with another fan.

“I was watching the game, then I woke up three or four days later,” Markwood said. “That’s the last thing I remember, until that day in the ambulance.”