Surveillance footage from the night of the dramatic stabbing incident involving former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez paints a shocking picture.
Sanchez, 38, can be seen jogging in the alley behind Indianapolis’ Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery in the early morning hours of Saturday, October 5, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly.
In the surveillance footage, Sanchez is seen approaching the box truck of a 69-year-old delivery driver, whose vehicle was parked in the alley, where the two men engaged in a conversation.
The interaction quickly turned violent, as video shows the two men circling the truck before engaging in a fight next to a dumpster.
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Detectives say Sanchez threw the 69-year-old toward the dumpster as a struggle ensued between the delivery truck and a wall.
Sanchez is also seen opening the driver’s side door of the truck and climbing inside.
The truck was parked in an alley between the Westin Hotel and the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown while the man was attempting to obtain used cooking oil as part of his job.
Sanchez, who works as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, was in Indianapolis to broadcast the game between the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, October 5. He was replaced in the broadcast booth by Brady Quinn.
The man told detectives Sanchez appeared to be intoxicated, smelled of alcohol and claimed to have spoken to the hotel manager, who said the truck was not supposed to be parked in the alley. When the man tried to call his supervisor, Sanchez allegedly blocked him.
A source told Fox59 that Sanchez was doing wind sprints in the alley before the fight occurred.
Surveillance video gathered from the Marriott “closely matches” the victim’s account of the incident, in which he suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital.
The man allegedly stabbed Sanchez in self-defense, which also sent the former New York Jets quarterback to the hospital.
While in the hospital, Sanchez was charged with misdemeanor criminal charges of battery resulting in injury, public intoxication, and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle. One of Sanchez’s charges was upgraded to a level 5 felony charge on Monday, October 6, which carries a penalty of one to five years in prison.
Us Weekly has reached out to his attorneys for comment.
Sanchez was released from the hospital on October 5 and booked at an Indianapolis jail. He immediately posted a $300 cash bond and is set to appear in court on Tuesday, October 7.
“What began as a disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or left anyone seriously injured,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement on Sunday. “As with any case, we will follow the facts and the law wherever they lead.”
Fox Sports released a statement about the incident on Saturday, before Sanchez had been charged with any crime.
“We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”
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The network addressed the story during their NFL broadcasts on Sunday.
“Friday night in Indianapolis, one of our team members, Mark Sanchez, was involved in an incident that we are still trying to wrap our heads around,” studio host Charissa Thompson said. “At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and all of those involved.”
A similar statement was read by Sanchez’s broadcast partner, Chris Myers, at the start of the game between the Colts and Raiders.
“I’m Chris Myers, along with Brady Quinn, who is stepping in for Mark Sanchez,” Myers, 66, said. “And obviously we all want to send out our thoughts and prayers to Mark and those involved in Friday’s incident, as we get ready for today’s game.”
