Lawyers say man suing Mark Sanchez is ‘glad to be alive’.
The 69-year-old truck driver who got into a physical altercation with former USC quarterback Mark Sanchez over the weekend has been released from the hospital and is continuing his recovery at home, according to his attorney.
Indiana resident Perry Toole suffered a laceration to his left cheek during an incident late Friday night into early Saturday in an alley outside a downtown Indianapolis hotel.
“He’s been released from the hospital, and he’s recovering and hoping to get his job back — you know, his ability to speak,” said Eric J. May, one of the attorneys representing Toole in a civil suit against Sanchez. TMZ on monday.
“Right now, he is having real difficulty communicating due to the large gash on his face. This has affected his jaw, tongue and mouth.”
May added that Toole “can talk now, but he’s very stuttering and it’s very stressful for him, just because of all the trauma to his mouth and cheek.”
Attorney Edward R. Reichert told TMZ that Toole will not be able to attend his son’s wedding this weekend as a result of what he went through. May said he expected “further medical treatment and ongoing treatment for him in the future” and added that “psychological injuries” were also a concern.
“I think it’s too early to know its long-term outlook, but we are optimistic,” May said. “He’s out now, and he’s back with his wife, and I think they’re happy to be alive.”
Sanchez was pepper-sprayed in the face and stabbed Toole several times during the fight, according to an affidavit filed Saturday by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
As of Monday morning, Sanchez remained hospitalized and was listed in stable condition. His brother issued a statement later in the day on behalf of Sanchez’s family.
“This has been a very traumatic time for everyone involved,” Nick Sanchez said. “Mark and our family are extremely grateful for the attention, love and support we have received over the past few days. Mark remains under medical care for the serious injuries he sustained and is focused on his recovery as the legal proceedings continue.”
Sanchez is charged with a Level 5 felony count of battery involving serious bodily injury and three misdemeanors — battery involving injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.
Marion County, Indiana, Prosecutor Ryan Mears said Monday that more charges are likely as the investigation continues.
Sanchez was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders-Colts game for Fox Sports. Fellow Fox analyst Brady Quinn filled in for Sanchez on the broadcast.
According to the affidavit, which was based on hotel surveillance footage and a statement Tolles provided to police, Sanchez apparently objected to Tolles backing his box truck onto the hotel loading dock while performing his job with a company that recycles and disposes of commercial cooking oil.
Sanchez smelled of alcohol at the time of the confrontation, the affidavit said.
The civil lawsuit Toole filed Monday in Marion County Superior Court alleges he suffered “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function, other physical injuries, emotional distress, and other damages” as a result of Sanchez’s actions.
Fox Corp., Sanchez’s employer, is named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit, in which Toll is seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be determined at trial.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.