Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez could face up to six years in prison after being charged with a felony following a physical altercation with a truck driver.
Sanchez, 38, was stabbed in the chest and later arrested on Sunday morning after allegedly getting into a fight with a food truck delivery driver over a parking dispute, according to FOX59.
After initially getting charged with battery with injury, prosecutors on Monday upgraded the charges to battery involving serious bodily injury after seeing the extent of his victim’s injuries; a Level 5 felony which carries a sentence of between one and six years in prison.
In an affidavit accompanying the charges, prosecutors alleged the 69-year-old victim, referred to only as PT, suffered a “severe laceration to the side of his face, penetrating all the way through his left cheek” following his encounter with Sanchez, which also left him severely bloodied and wearing a neck brace.
“This is by no means the end of this investigation,” said prosecutor Ryan Mears. “This by no means that these are going to be the final charges that we move forward with.”
Indianapolis Police Chief Chris Bailey said Sanchez will not receive any special treatment because of his profile, telling the media “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 added that “we’re lucky no one is dead right now” due to a knife being involved.
According to the truck driver’s testimony, he was attacked on Saturday morning while driving to collect kitchen grease from restaurants in downtown Indianapolis.
While loading his truck in an alleyway near a local eatery, he was approached by Sanchez, who appeared to be upset about the vehicle’s location and began to harass him, the Daily Mail reports. An altercation ensued, which saw the victim pepper-spray Sanchez in self-defense after becoming fearful for his life.
But the spray did little to deter the Fox Sports analyst, who allegedly responded by throwing the victim against a dumpster and intensifying his attacks, causing PT to pull out a knife and stab Sanchez several times in the chest because he believed “this guy is trying to kill me.”
PT, who also suffered a deep laceration during the altercation which sliced through his cheek and tongue, told prosecutors that Sanchez “stank of alcohol” and was slurring his speech.
Sanchez, who was treated by a local bartender after banging on the window while “covered in blood,” claims to remember very little of the altercation.
The former New York Jets quarterback was in Indianapolis to cover the Colts’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Sanchez is scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing on Tuesday morning, with a $300 cash bond and a no-contact order.
Despite his injuries, PT’s family told the New York Post on Sunday that he is doing “ok.”
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