Donald Trump speaks out on Mark Sanchez's arrest and stabbing after bloody brawl with truck driver

Donald Trump has expressed his shock as he spoke out on the shocking stabbing and subsequent arrest of former NFL star Mark Sanchez. 

The former quarterback-turned-Fox-analyst was rushed to hospital in critical condition in the early hours of Saturday morning after being stabbed in the chest during an alleyway altercation with a grease truck driver in Indianapolis. 

However, Sanchez, 38, is now facing six years in prison after he was arrested and hit with felony charges for allegedly instigating the brawl, which left a 69-year-old man with horrific injuries. 

Trump, who has said he knew Sanchez, admitted that he was stunned to hear the news of the shocking incident. 

'He's a nice guy. I don't know what happened. Something bad happened. Something a little crazy happened,' the president told Newsmax's 'Greg Kelly Reports' on Monday.

'I can only report that he was a nice guy. I know him a little bit,' he added.

Sanchez was detained - while still in the hospital - on allegations of battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

But prosecutors have since upgraded the charges to a Level 5 felony battery of causing serious injury, which could see Sanchez face up to six years in prison if he is found not guilty. 

Meanwhile, the alleged victim - identified as Perry Tole - filed a lawsuit against Sanchez and his employer Fox, suing for compensatory and punitive damages, on Monday.

Tole claims in his filing that he has suffered severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function, other physical injuries, emotional distress and other damages as a result of the altercation.

He also states that Sanchez appeared intoxicated and instigated the altercation on the night of the alleged attack.

The driver alleges that Fox 'knew or should have known' about Sanchez's 'unfitness as an employee, propensity for drinking and/or harmful conduct.'

Based on hotel security footage and testimony from Tole, Sanchez is accused of drunkenly accosting the driver, who was attempting to back his truck into a hotel's loading dock.

Tole told police that Sanchez pursued him, entered his truck and threatened him. That caused the driver to pepper spray the ex-NFL star, according to the affidavit.

Sanchez was allegedly undeterred, however, and continued to strike the man, who fell back into a dumpster and on to pallets.

Tole then pulled out a knife and stabbed Sanchez several times in his chest because, as he told police, he believed 'this guy is trying to kill me.'

Sanchez fled after being stabbed, according to the affidavit. Later, after a local bartender called 911, he was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Tole later told police that Sanchez smelled of alcohol and slurred his speech.

Horrifying photos were released on Sunday revealing the extent of the grease truck driver's gruesome injuries. He could be seen lying in a hospital bed, covered in blood with a huge gash on his face and a brace around his neck.

Sanchez played 10 seasons in the NFL, including four with the Jets after they took him fifth overall pick in 2009.

He later spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, the then-Washington Redskins and the Chicago Bears.