Hockey player denies rape charge

A player on the NHL Anaheim Ducks’ Bakersfield minor league team pleaded not guilty Friday to raping an unconscious Newport Beach woman inside her apartment in July 2006.

David Jeffrey McKee, 25, of Irving, Texas, is charged with felony counts of raping an unconscious person and rape by intoxication after authorities say he went into a woman’s room in July 2006 while she was passed out and sexually assaulted her.

According to prosecutors, McKee and some of his then-teammates on the American Hockey League team the Portland Pirates were drinking at Woody’s Wharf bar in Newport Beach July 12, 2006. The men met the 25-year-old victim and along with other women, all went back to the woman’s apartment, officials said. The woman went into her room to go to sleep, prosecutors said.

But, according to officials, about 4:15 a.m. the still-intoxicated woman woke up to McKee raping her and immediately called police.

Since the alleged incident McKee has joined the Bakersfield Condors, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.

He was indicted by a grand jury May 11.

McKee faces up to eight years in prison if convicted on all charges. He is free on $100,000 bail.

His pretrial is scheduled for July 10 in Santa Ana’s Central Justice Center.

— Joseph Serna