The mother of Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna is facing charges for allegedly providing alcohol to minors less than two hours before her son is accused of breaking a man’s jaw during an altercation in downtown State College.
Krystal D. McKenna, 44, provided alcoholic drinks to three minors inside Doggie’s Pub between 6:55 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed on April 29 by the state police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.
Gavin McKenna, 18, was attending a team event at the pub before allegedly punching another man in the face at about 8:45 p.m. that night outside the nearby Pugh Street Parking Garage. Gavin McKenna was charged in February with misdemeanor assault stemming from that incident.
A liquor control officer wrote that he initiated the investigation into furnishing alcohol to minors upon reading media reports about a minor male accused of assaulting another person after leaving Doggie’s.
Surveillance video from the pub showed Krystal McKenna at 6:55 p.m. providing a Big Sipz canned cocktail to a minor male, who poured it into a plastic cup, took a drink and put the can in his jacket pocket, according to the affidavit. She also poured an alcoholic beverage into plastic cups that two minor females drank from, the officer wrote.
At 7:03 p.m., Krystal McKenna went to the bar, returned with two vodka-based drinks and gave one to the underage male, according to the affidavit. She later refilled the cups of the two minor females, who continued to drink from them, the officer wrote.
None of the minors who were provided alcohol were named in the affidavit. The officer wrote that both females were wearing wristbands, indicating they were under the age of 21, but did not note whether the male was wearing one.
Krystal McKenna was charged via summons with two misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to minors. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 3.
Gavin McKenna, a freshman from Yukon, Canada, is facing a misdemeanor charge of simple assault and summary counts of harassment and disorderly conduct for the altercation that ensued that night. A felony charge of aggravated assault was withdrawn after Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna said the evidence did not support it.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed in early February, McKenna punched a 21-year-old man twice in the face “following an exchange of words” between McKenna’s group and the man’s group on South Pugh Street.
The complaint did not elaborate on what words were exchanged and Cantorna declined to elaborate during a Feb. 5 press conference. Various reports have indicated McKenna believed the man had been insulting his mother.
“Generally speaking, I can say a verbal argument never is justification for physical violence against another human being, let alone physical violence that results in a fractured jaw and surgery,” Cantorna said in February.
McKenna waived a preliminary hearing and formal arraignment. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for Monday.
The highest rated recruit in Penn State hockey history, McKenna was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in March and was the conference scoring champion with 11 goals and 27 assists in 24 games. He is widely projected to be selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft on June 26.
