Mark Sanchez, the Fox NFL analyst who was stabbed, hospitalized and arrested Saturday and then charged Sunday, had one of his charges upgraded to a felony on Monday.
Sanchez now faces a Level 5 felony charge of “battery involving serious bodily injury,” Marion County (Ind.) prosecutor Ryan Mears said at a Monday press conference. Mears said the new, more serious charge carries a potential penalty of 1-6 years imprisonment. He added that the investigation is still “in the early stages” and that the charges against Sanchez could still change.
According to an amended probable cause described by Indianapolis Fox affiliate reporter Angela Ganote, it was the extent of injuries suffered by the other person in the altercation — a 69-year-old driver for a local cooking oil disposal company — that raised Sanchez’ misdemeanor charges to the level of a felony.
Mears described the driver’s injuries as “significant, very severe … incredibly significant.”
In images that spread online and in local media, the driver appeared bloodied and had a deep cut on his face. He has now sued both Sanchez — alleging among other things “permanent disfigurement” — and Fox Sports, which he says should have known that Sanchez has a “propensity for drinking and/or harmful conduct.”
In the initial probable cause affidavit that led to his original misdemeanor charges, Sanchez is said to have initiated a confrontation with the driver over his truck being parked in the loading dock of an Indianapolis hotel. “We’re literally talking about people fighting about a parking space,” Mears said.
At one point, the former Jets and USC QB is accused of climbing inside of the truck against the driver’s wishes and repeatedly impeding his efforts to access the truck or flag down security. In surveillance video described in the affidavit, Sanchez is portrayed as repeatedly following — even running after — the driver and eventually fighting him against a dumpster and in the middle of an alley.
The driver is said to have admitted pepperspraying Sanchez in the face, and when that did not work, stabbing him in the torso “two or three” times. Per Ganote, Sanchez remained hospitalized Monday and was able to post bond from there after his Sunday arrest.
In the initial TMZ report of the news, Sanchez was said to be in critical condition with severe injuries, but a Fox Sports statement soon after said he was recovering and in stable condition.
Sanchez was originally set for a Tuesday morning hearing, but per Ganote that has been waived.
Sanchez was in Indianapolis to cover the Raiders-Colts game for FOX. On-air Sunday, Fox hosts Curt Menefee and Charissa Thompson separately read the exact same statement, which in part described the incident as one “we are still trying to wrap our heads around” and offered “thoughts and prayers” for Sanchez, his family and “all those involved.”
