A truck driver, aged 69, who sustained serious injuries in an altercation reportedly initiated by former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Mark Sanchez is now taking legal action against Sanchez and Fox Corporation, his employer, in an Indiana state court.
The lawsuit, filed by Perry Tole’s attorneys on Monday, seeks unspecified damages, including actual and punitive damages, as well as legal fees. Allegations in the lawsuit claim that Sanchez started a confrontation with Tole late on a Saturday night outside a hotel in downtown Indianapolis, resulting in significant injuries, including severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function, and emotional distress for Tole.
Police reports indicate that Tole also stabbed Sanchez multiple times during the altercation. A photo circulating online shows Tole in a neck brace on a hospital bed, with visible injuries, including a deep cut to his face.
Fox Sports declined to provide a comment on the lawsuit, and attorneys representing Sanchez in the criminal case also refrained from commenting on the legal action.
Tole’s legal representatives, who have requested a jury trial, did not respond immediately to requests for comments.
Sanchez is currently facing a felony battery charge, alongside several misdemeanor charges, related to what prosecutors described as a dispute over parking.
Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears highlighted the seriousness of the injuries, emphasizing that the altercation stemmed from a disagreement over parking space. He made these statements during a press conference on Monday.
According to a police affidavit, Sanchez, aged 38, allegedly confronted Tole, who had parked his truck at a hotel’s loading docks in downtown Indianapolis. Tole’s lawsuit claims that Sanchez entered his truck without permission, physically obstructed and pushed Tole, prompting Tole to use pepper spray on Sanchez.
In response to being sprayed, Sanchez reportedly continued to advance towards Tole, leading Tole to defend himself with a knife.
Sanchez was hospitalized due to stab wounds on his upper right torso, as detailed in the police affidavit. He was in Indianapolis for Fox’s coverage of the game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Sanchez, a former NFL player with a decade-long career before retiring in 2019, played for the Jets, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Washington. Following his retirement, he transitioned to sports broadcasting, working with ABC and ESPN for two years before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.
