Former NFL quarterback and current analyst Mark Sanchez is now facing a felony charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury after an altercation in Indianapolis over the weekend.
“This was a situation that did not need to occur,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.
He added, “We are literally talking about people fighting over a parking space.”
Sanchez was initially charged with several misdemeanors, including battery, unlawful entry into a vehicle, and public intoxication. Mears said the charge was upgraded to a felony as the severity of the victim’s injuries became clearer.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | NFL games will be harder — and pricier — to watch this season
Police said officers responded to a report of a “physical disturbance” between two men shortly after midnight Saturday.
According to prosecutors, surveillance video shows Sanchez confronting a driver at a loading dock. The driver pulled a knife, claiming he acted in self-defense because he feared for his life.
Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper torso and later released in stable condition. He was booked into jail on Sunday. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge.
Sanchez had been in Indianapolis to commentate on Sunday’s game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts.
