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A harrowing scene unfolded at a Pirates game at the end of April when a fan sitting in the outfield tumbled over the wall and slammed down on the warning track. Many people were quick to assume alcohol may have been a contributing factor, and it appears that was the case based on the charge the man’s friend has found himself facing.
I feel like I’m far from the only person who gets a little bit nervous after ending up in the front row of the upper deck at a stadium or arena even though there tends to be some safeguards in place to minimize the possibility of a mishap that results with you plummeting to the section below.
Those incidents tend to be few and far between, but there’s only so much those venues can do to prevent them from unfolding.
That’s especially true at baseball stadiums where spectators frequently have plenty of incentive to take a risk in the hopes of securing a souvenir; in 2011, a fan at a Rangers game died after falling over a railing while trying to catch a ball that Josh Hamilton threw his way.
There have also been similarly tragic incidents that had nothing to do with an attempt to get a baseball, including one that unfolded at a Braves game in 2015 where a man died after losing his balance and dropping 40 feet from the upper deck at Turner Field.
There was also the scary scene that transpired at a Pirates game on April 30th when a guy named Kavan Markwood leaped out of his seat and dropped more than 20 feet after propelling himself over the outfield wall and ending up on the dirt below.
Medical personnel scrambled to the scene to treat the 20-year-old, who was initially listed in critical condition after being rushed to the hospital and still has a long road to recovery ahead of him after breaking his neck, back, and collarbone.
According to WTAE, one of Markwood’s friends has now been hit with a criminal charge after officials who conducted an investigation into the incident viewed footage that allegedly showed him buying multiple beers that his underage buddy consumed before the fall.
The Pennsylvania State Police reviewed security footage at PNC Park before publishing a report that asserts 21-year-old Ethan Kirkwood made two trips to the concession stands during the game to buy some cans of Miller Lite that he supplied to Markwood (investigators also spoke to the victim’s girlfriend, who told them he had two beers during the game but didn’t drink before).
Kirkwood has been charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor and faces a minimum fine of $1,000 if convicted.