Jeff Sperbeck’s death after falling from cart driven by John Elway ‘appears to be a horrific accident,’ sheriff says
Days after the death of longtime sports agent Jeff Sperbeck, the Riverside County sheriff said the department hasn’t found any indication of criminal activity in his Saturday fall from a golf cart driven by friend and Broncos Hall of Famer John Elway in La Quinta, California.
In fact, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told The Denver Post on Friday that there was “nothing that we have found” to indicate law enforcement should’ve been involved.
“This appears to be a horrific accident,” Bianco said Friday. “And unfortunately for all of those involved, one of the people – well, a couple of them – happen to be very high-profile celebrities. And that makes this more of an issue than it probably should be.”
After Elway’s party called 911 from the private California country club The Madison Club, first responders didn’t immediately flag the sheriff’s department for any sort of investigation, Bianco said. The sheriff’s department, Bianco said, only got involved after a “massive media inquiry” from a slew of outlets followed confirmation that Elway was driving the golf cart.
Bianco also told The Post that medical personnel at the scene did not find any evidence to indicate Elway was inebriated. Bianco did not share any specific details with The Post about how the medical team came to that conclusion.
Witnesses’ statements from the event — from those on the cart to responders — had no discrepancies, Bianco said. The department also conducted an equipment evaluation of the golf cart and Bianco said no one told him there were any malfunctions.
“It is common practice for medical personnel, whether it be an ambulance personnel or hospital personnel or even fire personnel, to call us after the scene of an accident because something doesn’t look right,” Bianco said. “And this was not the case.”
Bianco added that the process will likely be “relatively short.” The sheriff’s department is reviewing surveillance footage and witness testimony in the ongoing investigation.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure that this is what it appears to be, and just an accident,” Bianco said.
Sperbeck was put on life support after being transported to the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, but died Wednesday. He was 62.
Sperbeck represented more than 100 NFL players over a 30-year career as an NFL agent, including quarterback Elway, who led the Broncos to five Super Bowls and later served as Denver’s general manager. The two were friends and business partners, co-founding wine brand 7Cellars.
Elway on Wednesday issued a statement to The Denver Post lamenting Sperbeck’s death.
“There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me,” Elway said.
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