Felony assault charge dropped against top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna
By Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — Penn State hockey forward Gavin McKenna will not face a felony aggravated assault charge after it was dropped by the Centre County District Attorney’s Office on Friday.
On Wednesday, 18-year-old McKenna was charged with four counts by the State College Police Department after an altercation on January 31, according to court documents. The incident came hours after the No. 6 ranked Nittany Lions lost in overtime to No. 2 Michigan State in an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium in College Park, Pennsylvania.
While the felony charge has been dropped, prosecution will go ahead with the misdemeanor simple assault and other summary charges as “they relate to the serious injuries suffered by the victim,” the District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
According to the State College Police Department, McKenna was involved in an altercation at approximately 8:45 p.m ET on January 31. He allegedly struck a 21-year-old male in the face, causing injuries that required corrective surgery.
According to police, McKenna was involved in an altercation at approximately 8:45 p.m ET on Saturday. He allegedly struck a 21-year-old male in the face, causing injuries that required corrective surgery.
A follow up by police confirmed that the victim “suffered two fractures to one side of his jaw, as opposed to both sides of his jaw, and that he is not missing a tooth.” The victim had surgery and is now recovering, the statement said.
According to the District Attorney’s release, probable cause for a felony charge of aggravated assault would have to show McKenna “acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or acted recklessly under circumstances showing an extreme indifference to the value of human life.”
After the District Attorney’s Office and State College police reviewed video footage of the incident, both came to the conclusion that a charge of aggravated assault was not supported by the evidence, the statement said.
CNN has reached out to Penn State hockey and McKenna’s representation for comment.
A preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for February 11, has been rescheduled for March 11.
A freshman forward from Whitehorse, Yukon, McKenna has 11 goals and 21 assists in 24 games this season while leading Penn State to an 18-8-0 record. Hockey experts have referred to the Canadian as a generational talent who could likely hear his name called first at June’s player draft in Buffalo, New York.
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