INDIANAPOLIS (RTW News) — Former NFL quarterback and current sports analyst Mark Sanchez was released from custody on Sunday, a week after he was stabbed during an altercation involving a truck driver outside an Indiana hotel.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police confirmed Sanchez's release. He is facing a felony battery charge, along with several misdemeanors, stemming from an incident described by prosecutors as a dispute over parking.
According to a police affidavit, Sanchez, 38, was under the influence of alcohol when he confronted 69-year-old Perry Tole, who had backed his truck into the hotel’s loading dock. Tole alleges in a lawsuit that Sanchez entered the vehicle without his permission and physically confronted him, resulting in Tole using pepper spray. In response, Sanchez advanced, leading Tole to defend himself with a knife.
As a result, Sanchez sustained stab wounds to his upper right torso and was hospitalized. Images of Tole in a neck brace and covered in blood have surfaced online, depicting the severity of the altercation.
At the time of the fight, Sanchez was in Indianapolis for Fox's broadcasting coverage of a game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders. He had a ten-year career in the NFL, mainly recognized for his time with the New York Jets, before transitioning into sports analysis on various networks, including Fox Sports.
A defense attorney for Sanchez did not respond to requests for comments regarding the case.
