INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Mark Sanchez was released from custody Sunday, about a week after police said he was stabbed during a fight with a truck driver outside an Indiana hotel.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Sanchez’s release. He faces a felony battery charge, along with several misdemeanor charges, stemming from what prosecutors have described as a dispute over parking.
A police affidavit indicates that 38-year-old Sanchez, who reportedly smelled of alcohol, confronted 69-year-old Perry Tole, who had backed his truck into the hotel loading docks on October 4. Tole claims in a lawsuit that Sanchez entered the truck without permission, then physically blocked and shoved him, prompting Tole to use pepper spray in defense.
When Sanchez advanced after being sprayed, Tole pulled a knife to protect himself, authorities noted.
Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso. A circulating image of Tole shows him in a neck brace on a hospital bed with a deep slash to his face.
Sanchez was in Indianapolis for Fox’s coverage of the recent game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Having retired in 2019 after a decade-long NFL career, Sanchez first garnered fame with the New York Jets before making appearances with Philadelphia, Dallas, and Washington. He transitioned to sports analysis, having spent two years with ABC and ESPN before joining Fox Sports in 2021.
No immediate response was received from Sanchez's defense attorney regarding the ongoing legal situation.
