Indianapolis – On Saturday night, bartender Scott Bennett had just closed Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery when a man began banging on the bar window.
“It was around 12:30 am, just some random guy knocking,” Bennett recalled. “I could tell he needed help, so I went outside and saw he was bleeding. He told me he had been shot.”
They brought the man inside, called 911, and applied a towel to his injuries. Unbeknownst to Bennett at the time, he was assisting former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez.
“There was a lot of blood. It wasn’t a gunshot wound or anything like that, but definitely a lot of blood… from the chest, abdomen, and groin area. His pants were soaked,” Bennett shared, trying to keep Sanchez engaged despite the difficulty understanding him.
According to police reports, Sanchez had gotten into an altercation outside the Indianapolis Marriott. He was reportedly upset with a truck driver, who was picking up kitchen grease and had parked in an alley. The situation escalated when Sanchez began pursuing the driver and made threats.
The driver, feeling threatened, used pepper spray, but it didn’t seem to deter Sanchez. “I pulled out the knife because this guy was trying to kill me,” he claimed.
A photo shared with WXIN showed the truck driver in a hospital bed, wearing a neck brace and with a noticeable injury on his cheek. He noted that Sanchez appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, as his speech was slurred. In contrast, Bennett mentioned he noticed no signs of impairment while helping Sanchez.
Sanchez faces charges including public intoxication and battery related to the incident.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage to corroborate the driver’s version of events. Sanchez is set to appear in court for his first hearing on Tuesday morning, with a cash bond set at $300 and a no-contact order in place. Records indicate he posted bond shortly after.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Sanchez was processed while still in the hospital, meaning he has technically been released from jail. There’s some uncertainty surrounding whether he has been discharged from the hospital.
Indianapolis defense attorney Jim Boyles said he has been approached to represent Sanchez in relation to several misdemeanor charges.
