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Fox Sports broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez faces up to six years in prison after a felony charge was added by Indianapolis officials, following a fight over the weekend that ended with Sanchez getting stabbed and sent to the hospital.
The high-profile incident originally prompted misdemeanor charges of battery resulting in injury, public intoxication, and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle. At a Monday morning press conference, Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said there was a new allegation of a felony charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury. The fight was between Sanchez and a 69-year-old man, according to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
Sanchez intends to plead not guilty, according to a court document posted by local Fox reporter Angela Ganote.
An amended probable cause affidavit contained new information that led to the new charge, Mears said Monday. It’s a level five felony charge, which can carry a sentence of between one and six years in prison. With the new charge, the case will be transferred to a “major felony court,” Mears said, and it will be up to them whether Sanchez is held on bond.
The amended probable cause affidavit featured a new paragraph stating that the victim said he “suffered a severe laceration to the side of his face, penetrating all the way through his left cheek,” and that the pain eventually reached a 10 out of 10. Gruesome photos have been circulating online of the man’s injuries.
Mears cautioned “we are still in the early stages of this investigation,” and said “these are by no means the final charges we are going to move forward with.”
A question about Sanchez’s blood alcohol content was deflected Monday, with Mears saying health records are protected, and officials would have to go through the right process to make sure any information they receive was “obtained through proper channels.”
Sanchez is still in the hospital, Ganote reported, contrary to reports Sunday that he was released from the hospital and taken to a local jail.
According to the original probable cause affidavit signed by an Indianapolis detective, the fight took place early Saturday morning, in an alleyway between the Marriott and Westin hotels in Indianapolis. The altercation involved Sanchez and a man who was parked in the alley to remove grease from commercial kitchens.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage from the Marriott revealed that Sanchez “approached the driver’s door of the truck and opened the door and began a conversation with [the alleged victim].” The two allegedly had an interaction at the driver’s side door before the other man walked toward the passenger side with Sanchez following him.
The truck driver said he felt threatened and used pepper spray on Sanchez, according to the affidavit. As Sanchez allegedly resumed the attack, the driver believed he was in a “life or death situation” and struck Sanchez two or three times with a knife, the affidavit says. After that, Sanchez took off “north bound” down the alley, according to the affidavit.
When detectives questioned Sanchez at the hospital, the Fox analyst “said he did not know who did this to him or where it happened,” according to the affidavit.
Fox Sports briefly addressed the situation on its pregame show Sunday, as host Curt Menefee told viewers, “Mark Sanchez was involved in an incident that, to be honest, we’re all still trying to wrap our heads around. At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, his family, and all those involved.” The network declined further comment.
Brady Quinn, who is normally a college football studio analyst for Fox, filled in for Sanchez on the Colts-Raiders broadcast Sunday.
Fox and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
—Margaret Fleming and Ryan Glasspiegel contributed reporting.
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