Mark Sanchez’s stabbing incident: Everything you need to know

In addition to the misdemeanor charge, Sanchez also faces a more serious charge — a misdemeanor involving serious bodily injury — after investigators were informed of the extent of the victim’s injuries.

“This was a situation that didn’t have to happen,” Mears said during an Oct. 6 news conference. “The allegations involve a 38-year-old man who became involved in an altercation with a 69-year-old man who suffered significant and very serious injuries.”

According to court documents, the truck driver “suffered a severe laceration to the side of his face that penetrated all the way through his left cheek.” ABC News shared the gruesome image of the victim’s injuries, which WRTV, an affiliate of Indianapolis ABC, obtained.

Mears explained that Sanchez’s Level 5 misdemeanor charge is battery carries a prison sentence of one to six years.

“One of the challenges you face in a case like this is you’re dealing with individuals receiving medical care, and that’s obviously the most important thing: that individuals are treated appropriately,” Mears said. “But once we received additional information about the victim’s current medical condition, it became clear to us that additional charges should be filed.”