The tragic fall of 20-year-old Pirates fan Kavan Markwood from atop the Clemente Wall during a game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh earlier this week is raising questions after the team said in a statement it believes he had consumed two beers at the time. Markwood’s mother said Saturday that her son was “awake” and “alert.”
A Pirates spokesperson said Saturday that a team investigation determined that Markwood showed no known signs of being intoxicated at the time of the fall Wednesday night.
According to the spokesperson, Markwood was in a group of four people — another male and two females — and credit card receipts show the other man legally purchased drinks four times. With the purchasing the limit of two drinks at a time, the other fan bought four beers and three Surfsides, the club spokesperson said.
The club believes Markwood consumed two beers over the course of the game.
The fall left Markwood prone on the right field warning track. He was in critical condition on Friday. On Saturday, his mother, Jennifer Phillips, said in a GoFundMe update that he was “awake, alert and able to speak.”
“After everything he’s been through since the accident on Wednesday night, this progress feels nothing short of miraculous. He still has a long road ahead of him, but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto,” said Phillips, thanking everyone for their support.
The exact cause of his fall remains unclear, but the club spokesperson said Markwood never purchased alcohol at PNC Park and all prohibitions were observed in this case.
In interviewing fans in the section, the Pirates say they have received differing accounts of Markwood’s condition prior to the fall.
While one fan said Markwood appeared intoxicated, others said he was conversing naturally and did not exhibit any boisterous behavior. One fan told the club that Markwood stood up, excited about the play, and toppled over the wall.
The Pirates say they do not believe Markwood showed any intoxicated behavior entering the park. The club prohibited two fans from entering Tuesday night for being drunk, but Markwood was not one of them.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is investigating the fall.
While the Pirates remain concerned about Markwood’s condition, the team spokesperson said their protocols were followed.
Aramark, the food service provider at PNC Park, said in a statement provided to CBS Pittsburgh, “We are committed to creating a fan experience that is both enjoyable and safe, and our long-standing alcohol compliance program is fundamental to that commitment. Our thoughts remain with the fan and his friends and family.”