Mark Sanchez’s trial date set in case over alleged fight

Contents of the article

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis judge confirmed Wednesday that Dec. 11 will be the trial date for Fox Sports analyst and former NFL player Mark Sanchez, who is accused of assaulting and causing serious bodily injury to a truck driver outside a hotel in what prosecutors say was a dispute over a parking spot.

Contents of the article

The pre-meeting lasted only about 2.5 minutes. Sanchez, who was more seriously injured in the altercation, was not required to attend and did not enter a plea.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

“Thank you for allowing our client to be excused from today's hearing. He is still recovering from his injuries,” defense attorney Tim DeLaney told the judge, who also set another hearing for Nov. 20 and confirmed the next pretrial date for Dec. 2.

Most of these dates have been previously set, but all are subject to change. DeLaney said Sanchez's recovery process is ongoing and could impact the schedule. Prosecutors subsequently expressed doubt that December 11 was a realistic trial date.

Defense lawyers left without answering questions from reporters.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

Sanchez has been taken off air since the Oct. 4 incident at the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. He was in town over the weekend for the game between the Colts and Las Vegas Raiders. Sanchez was stabbed in the chest and spent a week in the hospital. The trucker, who claims self-defense and has not been charged, is suing him and Fox Sports for unspecified damages.

Prosecutors charged Sanchez with felony assault and three misdemeanors of public intoxication. He refused to answer the charges when he left the hospital with his arm in a sling on October 12.

“I'm just focused on my recovery and I just want to thank the first responders… But I'm focused on my recovery and I just want to see my wife, I want to see my son, my two daughters,” Sanchez told radio station Fox59 in Indianapolis. “The day will come to answer all these questions, and unfortunately today is not that day.”

Contents of the article

Sanchez remains free on bail. The court allowed him to return home to California.

The detective's affidavit said Sanchez, 38, approached 69-year-old Perry Towle, who pulled his truck into the hotel loading dock. Tole, who drives a vehicle for a cooking oil service company, told police Sanchez smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred. He said Sanchez entered his truck without permission, then physically blocked and pushed Tole, who then hit Sanchez with pepper spray.

As Sanchez advanced despite being sprayed, Tole told police he pulled out a knife to protect himself.

Surveillance video shows Sanchez throwing Tole against the hotel wall and to the ground before running away, the affidavit states. Police found him at a restaurant on the same block.

Contents of the article

“We're literally talking about people fighting over a parking space and – or an argument about where people park, resulting in someone suffering just incredibly serious injuries,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told reporters Oct. 6.

Sanchez spent 10 years in the NFL before retiring in 2019. He spent four seasons with the New York Jets and also played for Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington. He appeared on ABC and ESPN before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.

Fox Sports has said little publicly about the incident other than a brief statement immediately following it.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark and we ask everyone to respect the privacy of him and his family at this time,” the chain said in a social media post.

Contents of the article