Mark Sanchez stabbing: New footage emerges of former NFL QB, FOX analyst prior to incident

In new surveillance video released Friday by TMZ, FOX Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez can be seen stumbling around downtown Indianapolis. It came just minutes before initiating what became a violent confrontation with a delivery driver outside the Westin Hotel in the early morning hours of Oct. 4.

Sanchez was stabbed multiple times during the altercation. He was later arrested and charged with Level 5 felony battery, which carries a potential sentence of 1 to 6 years in jail.

Sanchez, a former NFL quarterback who played college ball at USC, was in Indianapolis ahead of last Sunday’s NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. He was scheduled to call the game for the network but was later replaced in the FOX booth by Brady Quinn.

TMZ Sports revealed it obtained multiple surveillance videos that tracked Sanchez through the downtown streets of Indianapolis between 12:05 a.m. ET — when the delivery driver and assault victim, Peter Tole, first pulled into the Westin Hotel loading dock with his service truck — and at 12:30 a.m. That is when Sanchez fled the scene “bloodied from stab wounds,” per TMZ.

“Sanchez just looks like he’s drunkenly wandering as he exits the alley, strolling down the sidewalk at 12:14 am. About 90 seconds later, he returns, walking in the opposite direction … and this is where it gets weird,” TMZ wrote. “Sanchez walks toward the alley, but doesn’t go down it … instead, he pauses and continues walking very slowly down the street and out of camera-view. Nearly 6 minutes later, he comes back and parks himself at the entrance to the alley, simply leaning against a wall for about 2 minutes.”

Sanchez then approached Tole’s truck and became aggressive, including allegedly pulling Tole out of his truck, which led to a physical confrontation that saw the 69-year-old delivery driver attempting to pepper spray Sanchez before pulling his knife and stabbing Sanchez multiple times during a fight with the former NFL quarterback. During the scuffle, Tole suffered a large gash across his left cheek.

According to TMZ, Sanchez remains hospitalized in Indianapolis while awaiting an upcoming court date to face multiple charges of felony battery and three misdemeanors for battery with injury, unlawful entry into a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

Indianapolis Police release charging document in arrest of former NFL QB Mark Sanchez

The charging document details the altercation between Sanchez and Tole based on a combination of first-hand accounts and video provided by both parties and surveillance video from the nearby Indianapolis Marriott Downtown hotel. Surveillance video showed Sanchez appeared to be the aggressor, approaching Tole, a delivery driver who was parked in a loading dock connected to the neighboring Westin Hotel. Sanchez and Tole appear to exchange words, with Sanchez repeatedly pursuing the delivery driver even as he attempts to walk away from the former NFL quarterback.

Surveillance video then shows “Mr. Sanchez grabbing and throwing Tole towards the wall of the Westin” before the two begin fighting beside a nearby dumpster, according to the affidavit. The victim then said Sanchez “smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred,” per the affidavit. Upon realizing he was in “physical danger,” Tole defended himself with pepper spray before pulling his knife, later telling police he thought “this guy (Sanchez) is trying to kill me,” per the affidavit.

Sanchez received “several stab wounds to his upper right torso area,” according to the charging document, while Tole was beaten and bruised with a large gash on his face. Tole has since filed a civil lawsuit against both Sanchez and FOX, suing the former NFL quarterback for assault/battery and the TV network for negligent hiring, retention, and supervision, according to TMZ Sports.