INDIANAPOLIS — Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez is now facing a felony charge of battery involving serious bodily injury in addition to the misdemeanor charges stemming from a weekend incident in Indianapolis that led to his arrest.
Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears made the announcement about the new charge, which carries a potential sentence of one to six years in prison, during a news conference Monday with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Chris Bailey. Mears said the investigation is ongoing.
“One of the challenges you have in a case like this is that you are dealing with individuals who are receiving medical care and that’s, obviously, the most important thing, that individuals are treated appropriately,” Mears said. “But once we were provided with additional information about the victim’s current medical condition, it became clear to us that additional charges needed to be filed.”
Sanchez had been scheduled for a court hearing Tuesday on the original charges but that was rescheduled to Nov. 4. Sanchez remains hospitalized and was listed in stable condition Monday morning.
One of Sanchez’s attorneys, James Voyles, declined to comment on the case.
The Fox Sports analyst was pepper-sprayed and stabbed multiple times during a late-night altercation in a downtown Indianapolis alley over the weekend, which resulted in criminal charges against him, according to court records filed Sunday.
A police affidavit alleges that Sanchez, smelling of alcohol, accosted a 69-year-old truck driver who backed into a hotel’s loading docks, leading to a confrontation outside the vehicle that prompted the driver to pull out a knife to defend himself.
Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso, the affidavit signed by a police detective said. The truck driver, identified as P.T., had a cut to his left cheek, it said.
Mears said his office received an amended probable cause affidavit Monday, which led to the additional charge because the truck driver suffered serious injuries.
Mears said police are still gathering information and have several outstanding warrants.
“The chief and his team continue to work on this matter, continue to track down additional details for us and really supplement that probable cause affidavit,” Mears said. “I cannot say enough good things about the work that took place at IMPD. There’s a ton of information to sift through and gather.”
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