New details have emerged about the shocking altercation in downtown Indianapolis involving former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez.
According to police records obtained by Us Weekly, the 69-year-old delivery driver involved in the alleged attack, referred to simply as P.T., wasn’t wearing his hearing aids when the confrontation began, leading to the initial misunderstanding.
“P.T. did not have his hearing aids in because his truck is very loud when he is exchanging the frying oil for the hotel, so he had to lean in close to Mr. Sanchez to hear him,” the records state. “When P.T. leaned in, he stated that Mr. Sanchez smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred.”
Moments later, the situation turned violent. The driver told detectives that Sanchez, 38, began yelling and trying to enter the cab of his truck despite being told to leave. The former New York Jets quarterback allegedly slammed P.T. against a wall and threw him to the ground.
The 69-year-old man who was allegedly attacked by former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez revealed the harrowing details of their violent confrontation in downtown Indianapolis. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the delivery driver told police he believed “this guy is trying to kill me” when Sanchez, 38, allegedly assaulted him during a dispute in […]
“He kept coming at me,” P.T. told police, according to the affidavit. “I thought this guy is trying to kill me.”
P.T. said he initially used pepper spray to defend himself but when Sanchez kept advancing, he pulled out a knife and stabbed him multiple times in self-defense. Video surveillance from the nearby Marriott hotel “closely matches” his account, per the records.
When police arrived at 12:35 a.m., they found Sanchez bleeding from several stab wounds to his upper torso and P.T. nearby with cuts to his face. Both men were taken to the hospital due to their injuries.
Photos shared by P.T.’s family with FOX59 News showed him in a hospital bed wearing a neck brace with visible lacerations on his cheek and jaw. Family members later told the New York Post that the driver is recovering.
“He’s OK,” relatives said. “We are talking to lawyers first. We want to be careful what’s said. We appreciate that.”
Sanchez was initially charged with three misdemeanors: battery resulting in injury, public intoxication and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.
He was released from the hospital on Sunday, October 5, and taken to jail where he was immediately released on a $300 bond and is set to appear in court on Tuesday, October 7.
In a press conference on Monday, October 6, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced an upgraded Level 5 felony charge of battery “involving serious bodily injury.” The charge carries a potential penalty of one to six years in prison.
FOX Sports is facing some social media backlash after sending “thoughts and prayers” to broadcaster Mark Sanchez following his hospitalization and subsequent arrest. Sanchez, 38, was involved in a violent incident in Indianapolis on Saturday, October 4. The former NFL quarterback was stabbed, then later arrested by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police while recovering in the […]
Mears said the upgraded charge came after receiving new medical information about the victim’s condition, noting “additional charges might be appropriate to file in a case like this.”
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey emphasized that Sanchez will not receive any special treatment.
“I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what you do for a living, I don’t care where you live, if you come into our city, commit violence, we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold you accountable,” Bailey said during Monday’s press conference. “Given the cases that have unfolded in recent years, we’re lucky that no one’s dead right now.”
Sanchez, a former USC standout who led the Jets to two AFC Championship appearances before retiring in 2019, had been in Indianapolis to broadcast Sunday’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders game for FOX Sports.