The death of Stuart Haverty, of Woodstock, who fell from a Soldier Field ledge during the Bears-Eagles game Sunday, November 28, 2010 has been ruled an accident by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The autopsy today found that Stuart Haverty, 23, died from multiple injuries caused by the fall onto a roof near the stadium.
Haverty fell about 35 feet from the colonnade level on the west side of the stadium between gates 19 and 21 at about 4:55 p.m. Sunday. Chicago Fire Department used an aerial tower platform to access the roof and rescue Haverty, and transport him to the hospital. He was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about 30 minutes later.
Witnesses have told investigators that Haverty ran over the edge for an unknown reason, or went outside the railing to smoke a cigarette. Smoking is not allowed inside Soldier Field. The open-air concourse with massive columns has a railing about 3 feet high with an outer ledge beyond the railing about two feet wide.
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Closeup satellite image of location where Stuart Haverty fell at Soldier Field.
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Satellite map of Soldier Field showing location of fatal stadium fall that killed Stuart Haverty.
Haverty’s fatal fall is the first at Soldier Field since the stadium was renovated in 2003. Before the renovation, the stadium columns were at the luxury suite level and not accessible to the general public.
Haverty had attended McHenry County College, and was last enrolled there in the fall of 2009, according to school officials.