Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was caught by security cameras as he stumbled and wandered around Indianapolis in the minutes before his violent encounter with a truck driver outside his hotel.
Surveillance video obtained by TMZ shows the former football roaming about downtown for nearly 20 minutes before his confrontation with 69-year-old Perry Tole in the alley between the Westin Hotel and the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.
The incident unfolded on Oct. 4, while Sanchez was in the area to serve as an analyst on Fox Sports’ broadcast of the Indianapolis Colts’ showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders.
According to a police affidavit, Sanchez, who allegedly reeked of alcohol at the time, confronted Tole after he backed into Westin Hotel’s loading docks around midnight.
Minutes prior, according to the video, Sanchez can be seen leaning against the entrance to alleyway for nearly two minutes, at one point casually interacting with a passerby. He then jogs toward a dumpster, pausing for a moment, before making his was toward Tole.
Tole — who works for a company that exchanges commercial frying oil — has alleged that Sanchez attempted to climb into the cab of his truck multiple times and shoved him when he tried to tried to reach for his cellphone. Concerned for his safety, Tole said he then grabbed pepper spray and used that in bid to scare off Sanchez.
It “appeared to have an effect,” but only momentarily, according to the affidavit, so Tole grabbed a knife to protect himself.
Sanchez, left bloodied in wake of the attack, can be seen in the video racing out of the alley before it becomes flooded with first responders.
The ex-Jet was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso, according to the affidavit. He’s facing a felony charge of battery involving serious bodily injury and three misdemeanors. Tole has also filed a lawsuit against him.
