Mark Sanchez’s trial will begin on December 11, a judge decided on Wednesday but the former NFL star’s attorney warned his recovery from his injuries may force a delay to proceedings.
The 38-year-old Sanchez missed his third straight week of games for Fox on Sunday as he continues to recover after police said he was stabbed during a fight with a truck driver outside an Indianapolis hotel on October 4.
Sanchez faces a felony battery charge, along with several misdemeanor charges, for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking. Sanchez and Fox Sports also face a civil lawsuit filed by 69-year-old Perry Tole.
A police affidavit alleges that Sanchez, smelling of alcohol, accosted Tole, who had backed his truck into a hotel’s loading docks in downtown Indianapolis on October 4.
Tole claims in a lawsuit that Sanchez entered the truck without permission, then physically blocked and shoved Tole, who then doused Sanchez with pepper spray.
When Sanchez advanced after being sprayed, Tole pulled a knife to defend himself, authorities said.
Mark Sanchez’s trial will start December 11 but his recovery may force a delay to proceedings
Perry Tole, a grease truck driver, is seen lying in a hospital bed, covered in blood with a huge gash on his face and a brace around his neck
Sanchez, with wife Perry Mattfield, faces a felony battery charge and several misdemeanor charges
Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso, according to a police affidavit. A picture of Tole circulating online shows him in a neck brace on a hospital bed, covered in blood with a deep slash to the side of his face.
In a court hearing in Marion County, Indiana on Wednesday, Sanchez’s attorney Tim Delaney warned his client may not be ready in time for trial.
He said: ‘Thank you for allowing our client to be excused from today’s hearing. He is still recovering from the injuries he sustained and the medical intervention.
‘That process is ongoing. It may impact some of the dates but right now we’ll note those dates for our calendars.’
Sanchez was in Indianapolis for Fox´s coverage of the October 5 game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Fox59 even reported – via a source – that Sanchez, 39, was doing ‘wind sprints’ in the alleyway shortly before the violent altercation occurred.
Sanchez had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He spent four seasons with the New York Jets and also appeared in games with Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington.
He appeared on ABC and ESPN for two years before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.
