Former Cowboys QB Mark Sanchez Arrested After Hospitalization, Faces Charges for Assaulting Elderly Truck Driver While Intoxicated

Indianapolis, Indiana – Former Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was discharged from the hospital and taken straight to Marion County Jail after being charged with assault and public intoxication, according to TMZ Sports and Fox59.

The incident occurred on the night of Friday, October 3, in an alley behind a restaurant in Indianapolis. According to police, Sanchez – in a heavily intoxicated state – engaged in a physical altercation with a 69-year-old truck driver after the driver’s vehicle blocked his path while he was jogging. A witness at the scene described the chaotic moment:

“I was near the back alley behind the restaurant when I saw him running up, yelling, looking very drunk. The truck driver tried to avoid him, so they got into a heated argument and then a fight. The driver must have been so scared he pulled something out — it all happened so fast. I ran over and saw both of them bleeding.”

Sanchez’s alleged victim, who is still unnamed, is seen in graphic photos taken at the hospital.

The situation escalated when the driver, who reportedly didn’t hear Sanchez’s shouts because he had removed his hearing aids, was pushed by Sanchez. In self-defense, the driver used pepper spray and stabbed Sanchez in the chest with a sharp object. Both men sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital. According to police reports, Sanchez was in critical but stable condition, while the driver suffered a laceration to his cheek and tongue damage from the retaliatory strike.

On Sunday morning, October 5, Sanchez was released from the hospital but immediately arrested. Police confirmed he faces two misdemeanor charges: Public Intoxication and Assault. However, according to rumors, the former player was released on a $300 bond.

Mark Sanchez, 38 years old, was a QB for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 season, serving as a backup to Dak Prescott. Once heralded as a rising star with the New York Jets, his career declined and ended in 2019.

The Indianapolis police continue to investigate the incident. Though out of immediate danger, Sanchez now faces potential criminal prosecution, marking a dark new chapter in the life of the former NFL star once celebrated as the “youthful face of the Jets”.