A prosecutor has filed a felony charge against former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez, who was already facing misdemeanor charges for his role in a weekend stabbing incident.
Sanchez has been charged with one count of battery resulting in a serious violent injury, a Level 5 felony, according to local affiliate WXIN.
He was arrested Sunday after a late-night altercation with a 69-year-old box truck driver in downtown Indianapolis.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by WXIN reveals that the driver reported Sanchez, who appeared intoxicated, approached his vehicle, attempted multiple times to get into the cab, and shoved the driver when he tried to retrieve his cellphone.
The driver, identified only as P.T. in the documents, told authorities he then pulled out pepper spray and a knife in self-defense.
The pepper spray “appeared to have an effect” on Sanchez momentarily, but the Fox Sports analyst wiped it from his face and continued approaching
The driver then stabbed Sanchez several times, eventually sending Sanchez backward into a dumpster, according to court documents. After receiving a final stab wound, Sanchez reportedly gave the driver a shocked look, turned, and exited the alley.
The driver suffered a “severe laceration to the side of his face, penetrating all the way through his left cheek,” per court documents.
While hospitalized, Sanchez stated to police that he only recalled “grabbing for a window” and had no recollection of who stabbed him or how the events transpired. As of Monday morning, Sanchez remains in the hospital, according to WXIN’s Angela Ganote.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced the more serious felony charge at a press conference on Monday, citing the driver’s age and the severity of Sanchez’s injuries as factors in the decision.
“This incident should never have happened,” said Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears. “A disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or resulted in serious injuries.”
local affiliate WXIN and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
