Sanchez plans to plead guilty in '25 assault case

Former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports broadcaster Mark Sanchez has agreed to plead guilty in connection to the alleged attack of a truck driver in Indianapolis last year. According to online court records, a motion for a guilty plea and sentencing hearing was filed Thursday. "The parties have reached a resolution that will obviate the need for the jury trial," the joint motion states, according to WTHR-TV, which obtained the filing. The prosecution and Sanchez's attorney requested a hearing be scheduled for Nov. 9 or Nov. 16 for Sanchez to enter his guilty plea and receive his sentence. A judge will have to accept Sanchez's guilty plea. A jury trial is currently scheduled to begin next Tuesday, according to online records. Sanchez, 39, is charged with a felony count of battery involving serious bodily injury, along with three misdemeanor charges, including public intoxication. Thursday's motion does not state which charges Sanchez intends to plead guilty to, according to WTHR-TV. "This is a positive development. We are finalizing an agreement with the prosecutor's office that provides a path toward resolving the state's case," Nick Sanchez Jr., Mark Sanchez's brother and legal adviser, said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "We're also encouraged by the constructive conversations taking place regarding the related civil matter. There is real momentum toward bringing this entire chapter to a close." Perry Tole, the truck driver allegedly attacked by Sanchez on Oct. 4 last year, sued the former quarterback and Fox Sports last year, seeking an unspecified amount and punitive damages plus attorney's fees. The lawsuit accuses Sanchez of instigating a fight with Tole, leading to "severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function" and other injuries and emotional distress. Tole was 69 years old at the time. "We are pleased with the constructive and professional conversations we've had with Mr. Sanchez's team. Our discussions have been productive and we're on a positive path toward an agreement that will allow the parties to move forward. Mr. Tole appreciates the progress we have achieved and looks forward to an amicable resolution," Tole's attorney, Matt Golitko, said in a statement obtained by ABC News. Sanchez had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He spent four seasons with the New York Jets and also played for Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington. He appeared on ABC and ESPN before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021. Fox announced last November that Sanchez would not return as an analyst. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.