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Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez has been charged with assault causing harm, being drunk in public, and illegally entering a car after a Saturday altercation in the city that left him hospitalized with knife injuries.

Key Facts of the Altercation

Based on court documents, Sanchez approached a senior delivery man at a hotel loading bay. The older man stated he believed “Sanchez is trying to kill me” and deployed pepper spray to protect himself. After it did not stop the former athlete from advancing on him, the man reported stabbing Sanchez “multiple times”. Sanchez then allegedly pushed the man against a dumpster before an expression of surprise came across his face and he “ran away”.

Detectives have examined recorded video of the event. Witnesses reported that both individuals filmed each other with their cellphones throughout the altercation.

Police wrote in the legal document, “The suspect is seen running after [the man] and the video depicts him seizing and hurling [the man] towards the wall of the Westin hotel.”

How It Started

The confrontation allegedly started after Sanchez and the driver disagreed about a parking spot.

Injuries and Aftermath

This altercation resulted in stab wounds to his torso, while the other man suffered cuts to his face. The former player was hospitalized for his injuries, which were not life-threatening, before he was taken into custody on Saturday. He is scheduled to appear at a hearing on Tuesday morning.

Based on the affidavit, Sanchez informed officers “the only thing he recalled was reaching for a window.” He could not recall who stabbed him or where the incident occurred.

Authorities’ Statement

“What happened was avoidable,” the county attorney commented. “Starting as a dispute between a ex-sports star and a 69-year-old man ought not to have turned into violence or caused severe harm to anyone. As with any case, we will adhere to evidence and regulations in pursuit of justice.”

Career Repercussions

The analyst was in Indianapolis to report on the Colts’ game with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon as part of his Fox Sports responsibilities. Another former NFL quarterback replaced Sanchez in the broadcast booth for Sunday’s game. The network addressed the situation briefly on their sports program, with a presenter saying: “it’s a confusing situation … we wish the best for him, his loved ones and all those involved”.

Sanchez began with the network in recent years and also works on sports studio shows.

Background

Before his broadcasting career, Sanchez played a decade in the league with multiple franchises, including the New York Jets, who drafted him early in the annual selection. He subsequently joined the Philadelphia Eagles and a third franchise. He ended his playing career in July 2019 and soon after started at a sports network before transitioning to his current employer.

Off the field, Sanchez wed his partner, Perry, in last year. The pair shares three children.