Former physician at Temecula Valley Hospital pleads not guilty to sexual assault

TEMECULA, Calif. (KABC) -- Ear, nose and throat Dr. John McGuire has traded his hospital scrubs for a county-issued jail jumpsuit. The 44-year-old charged with sexually assaulting a patient pleaded not guilty during his arraignment hearing Friday.

McGuire was arrested Wednesday following a two-month investigation by the Temecula Police Department after one of his patients accused him of sexual assault following a surgical procedure at Temecula Valley Hospital in April.

"Dr. McGuire was tending to a patient here in our county and on one particular date, on three different occasions, he did commit violations of the penal code that involve a doctor having sexual contact with a patient," said Riverside County District Attorney Jesse Walsh.

McGuire was working at Graybill Medical Group in Escondido at the time of his arrest. He's being held in lieu of $3 million bail.

The CEO of the medical group issued the following statement: "We are shocked by the allegations against Dr. McGuire. We had no knowledge of any investigations. Based on our due diligence, he appeared to us to be a highly skilled physician of good standing."