A truck driver, aged 69, who sustained serious injuries in an altercation reportedly initiated by former NFL quarterback and sports commentator Mark Sanchez, has filed a lawsuit against Sanchez and his employer, Fox Corporation, in an Indiana state court. Perry Tole, represented by his lawyers, lodged the lawsuit on Monday, seeking unspecified damages, including punitive damages and legal fees. The legal action alleges that Sanchez provoked a physical confrontation with Tole late at night outside a hotel in downtown Indianapolis, resulting in significant injuries, permanent disfigurement, loss of function, and emotional trauma for Tole.
Reports indicate that Tole also stabbed Sanchez multiple times during the altercation. A photograph of Tole, shared online, shows him wearing a neck brace in a hospital bed, with visible injuries, including a deep cut on his face. Fox Sports declined to comment on the lawsuit in an email response, while attorneys representing Sanchez in his criminal case refrained from providing a statement on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, which requests a trial by jury, was filed by Tole’s legal representatives, who were not available for immediate comment. Sanchez faces a felony battery charge and several misdemeanors related to what prosecutors described as a dispute over parking. Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears characterized the incident as a conflict over a parking space that escalated into severe injuries for one of the individuals involved.
According to a police affidavit, the 38-year-old Sanchez, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, confronted Tole after Tole had parked his truck near a hotel’s loading docks in downtown Indianapolis. Tole’s lawsuit claims that Sanchez entered his truck without permission, physically blocked and pushed Tole, prompting Tole to use pepper spray on Sanchez in self-defense. When Sanchez continued to advance despite being sprayed, Tole reportedly drew a knife to protect himself, resulting in Sanchez sustaining stab wounds to his upper right torso.
Sanchez, who was in Indianapolis for Fox’s coverage of a football game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders, had a decade-long NFL career before retiring in 2019. He played for the Jets, as well as Philadelphia, Dallas, and Washington. Prior to joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021, Sanchez had appeared on ABC and ESPN for two years.
