The public reaction to the graphic photos of the 69-year-old victim in the Mark Sanchez incident was immediate confusion. How was this not a felony case? Well, now it is.
Videos by FanBuzz
Photo credit: Getty Images
Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced Monday that Sanchez has been charged with battery involving serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony in Indiana, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The charge carries a potential prison sentence of one to six years. The decision came after police submitted an additional probable cause affidavit.
"This is by no means the end of this investigation," Mears said. "This by no means that these are going to be the final charges that we move forward with." He added that multiple search warrants are still pending, meaning more charges could follow.
Sanchez was arrested Saturday while hospitalized after the incident, which ended with both Sanchez and the victim injured. Police have preliminarily concluded that the victim believed Sanchez was going to kill him and stabbed Sanchez in self-defense. Sanchez was released from the hospital Sunday and booked into jail. He was released on $300 bond.
Fox Sports has not made any announcements beyond its initial statement that Sanchez was injured and hospitalized. He had been in Indianapolis preparing to call the Raiders-Colts game.
As Florio noted, the bigger question for Fox is whether the network will take any disciplinary action against Sanchez, including the possibility of termination. There's also a potential civil liability angle if it's determined that Fox failed to properly supervise him during his time in Indianapolis.
The legal process is still unfolding, but he now faces a serious felony charge, and both the courts and his employer will have to decide how to handle what comes next.
