Mark Sanchez walks on the field before an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. — AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File
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**INDIANAPOLIS — Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez was pepper-sprayed and stabbed multiple times during a late-night altercation with a 69-year-old truck driver in a downtown Indianapolis alley**, according to court records filed Sunday. The incident has resulted in criminal charges against the Fox Sports analyst.
Based on hotel video footage of the altercation early Saturday and the driver’s statement to police, a police affidavit alleges that Sanchez, who smelled of alcohol, accosted the driver of a box truck that backed into a hotel’s loading docks. This led to a confrontation outside the vehicle, prompting the driver to defensively pull out a knife.
Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso, the affidavit, signed by a police detective, said. He remained hospitalized early Sunday, according to police. The truck driver, identified as P.T., suffered a cut to his left cheek.
Sanchez was reported to be in stable condition, Fox Sports said Saturday. There was no immediate update on Sunday. His initial court hearing is set for Tuesday in a Marion County courtroom.
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### Details of the Altercation
As the altercation escalated, the truck driver feared “this guy is trying to kill me” and pulled his knife as Sanchez came at him, the affidavit stated. Sanchez was stabbed two or three times initially, then stabbed again when he advanced toward the driver a second time.
The affidavit described the moment: “The next thing P.T. knew was Mr. Sanchez looked at him with a look of shock, he slowly turned around, and Mr. Sanchez took off northbound in the alley.”
Sanchez was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders vs. Colts game. Instead, he now faces misdemeanor charges including battery resulting in injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, and public intoxication.
Police obtained a warrant to collect Sanchez’s phone and clothes from the hospital. There are no immediate court records indicating whether Sanchez has obtained legal representation.
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### Official Statements
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said Sunday that his office would “follow the facts and the law wherever they lead.”
“What began as a disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or left anyone seriously injured,” Mears said in a statement.
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### Fox Sports Acknowledges Sanchez’s Absence
Sanchez told police at the hospital that all he could remember was grabbing for a window, according to the court document. He said he didn’t know who else was involved or where the altercation took place.
“Friday night in Indianapolis, one of our team members, Mark Sanchez, was involved in an incident that, to be honest, we are still trying to wrap our heads around,” Curt Menefee said Sunday on Fox’s primary NFL pregame show. “At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with Mark and his family and all of those involved.”
Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Chris Myers also addressed Sanchez’s absence during Sunday’s game coverage and introduced Sanchez’s replacement, Brady Quinn. Myers extended thoughts and prayers to Sanchez and all those involved in the incident.
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### Police and Video Evidence
Police officers found Sanchez with the stab wounds when dispatched to a downtown pub around 12:35 a.m. Saturday. The truck driver was found in the alley nearby. Details of the confrontation were disclosed in the affidavit, based on video footage and the driver’s statement.
The video showed a man believed to be Sanchez running in the alley toward the truck. The driver works for a company that specializes in commercial cooking oil recycling and disposal and was performing his duties at the time.
Sanchez opened the truck door and began talking to the driver, telling him he couldn’t be at the loading dock and insisted he had spoken to the hotel manager.
The driver reported Sanchez smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech.
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### The Altercation Escalates
The affidavit states Sanchez followed the driver from one side of the truck to the other. When the driver moved toward the driver’s door, video showed Sanchez “grabbing and throwing” the driver against a hotel wall. The fight continued near a dumpster, and Sanchez threw the driver to the ground.
Sanchez climbed into the truck but got out when told by the driver he wasn’t allowed in. Sanchez insisted he had spoken to the manager and didn’t want fryer oil replaced.
Sanchez tried again to get into the truck and blocked the driver from calling his manager. Feeling threatened, the driver grabbed pepper spray from his pocket and sprayed Sanchez’s face.
Sanchez wiped his face and advanced on the driver again. At that point, the driver pulled a knife and stabbed Sanchez as he came at him.
The driver fell onto pallets and explained to police that while on the ground, he could only see Sanchez’s feet coming toward him, realizing he was in a life-or-death situation.
The driver managed to get up and stabbed Sanchez a final time as Sanchez approached.
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### About Mark Sanchez
Sanchez had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He previously worked on ABC and ESPN broadcasts before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.
A native of Long Beach, California, Sanchez starred at the University of Southern California before being selected by the New York Jets with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Football Team.
Sanchez is married to actor Perry Mattfeld, a former USC cheerleader known for roles in “Shameless,” “In the Dark,” and “Chad Powers.” The couple recently welcomed twin daughters in March, according to an interview Mattfeld gave to Glamour.
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