A 69-year-old truck driver has taken legal action against former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez, following a violent confrontation in downtown Indianapolis that left both parties injured. The lawsuit, filed by Perry Tole, claims Sanchez was the instigator in a fight over parking, which escalated to severe injuries and permanent disfigurement for Tole.
The incident occurred late Saturday night outside a hotel, where Tole was parked. According to police reports, Sanchez, who was allegedly under the influence, confronted Tole, entered his truck without consent, and initiated a physical altercation.
Tole’s lawsuit seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages, along with attorney’s fees, as it describes the fight that led to “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function” and emotional distress for Tole. During the scuffle, both Sanchez and Tole sustained stab wounds, with Tole depicted in a hospital bed, visibly injured.
Sanchez is now facing felony battery charges, alongside several misdemeanors. Prosecutors noted the absurdity of the fight stemming from a dispute over a parking space, highlighting the unexpected severity of the injuries incurred.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears described the situation, stating, “We are literally talking about people fighting over a parking space and-or a dispute about where people are parking, and it resulted in someone receiving just incredibly significant injuries.”
A police affidavit also detailed that Sanchez, after being sprayed with pepper spray by Tole in self-defense, advanced towards Tole, prompting Tole to brandish a knife in protection.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Tole’s attorneys have not commented, nor has Fox Corporation, the employer of Sanchez, responded to media inquiries regarding the lawsuit. Sanchez, who has transitioned to a sports analyst role after a ten-year NFL career, was in town for Fox’s coverage of a Colts game when the incident occurred.
