Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway was the driver of a golf cart involved in an accident that caused a fatal brain injury to his business partner and former agent, Jeff Sperbeck, as first reported by TMZ Sports.
He was 62 years old.
Sperbeck and the two-time Hall of Famer were involved in a crash the afternoon of Saturday, April 26, at The Madison Club in La Quinta, Calif. He is known for having played an integral role in Elway’s legendary playing career and representing a large number of professional athletes.
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Here is more on the incident that transpired in the spring.
John Elway golf cart accident
Sperbeck died as a result of injuries sustained in a golf cart accident on Saturday, April 26, with Elway.
The doctors said he suffered a traumatic brain injury after taking a “serious fall” from the back of a moving golf cart that Elway was driving.
The fall caused Sperbeck to hit his head on the asphalt, causing those with him to seek immediate help. Elway was reportedly at the wheel after he, Sperbeck, and their spouses had attended a party together.
There has been no indication that Elway was negligently operating the cart. He was the one who called 911 “in a frantic effort to save his friend.”
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection told Palm Springs’ ABC affiliate KESQ that its crew responded to a golf cart collision Saturday and brought an unnamed patient to a trauma center.
Sperbeck was on life support, according to TMZ, before he was officially ruled dead.
Sperbeck represented over 100 NFL players during his career as a football agent and business advisor, becoming Elway’s manager in 1990.
On Wednesday, April 30, Elway released a statement mourning the loss of Sperbeck.
“I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck,” Elway said. “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. My heart and deepest sympathies go out to Jeff’s wife, Cori; his children Carly, Sam and Jackson; and everyone who knew and loved him. Jeff will be deeply missed for the loyalty, wisdom, friendship and love he brought into my life and the lives of so many others.”
On May 2, Elway’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, also released a statement.
“This has been a terrible time for everyone involved and our hearts continue to go out to the Sperbeck family,” Steinberg said. “As John grieves this unimaginable loss, we appreciate the efforts of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation has confirmed what we already knew: this was a tragic accident and sometimes things happen in life that we will never comprehend.”
On July 13, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the matter cleared Elway of any wrongdoing.
Sheriff Chad Bianco told Denver’s 9NEWS that “We’ve talked to everyone involved and we found nothing new. There was nothing criminal. It was what we’ve been saying all along that this was a tragic accident.”
A formal announcement of the investigation’s findings is forthcoming.
John Elway agent cause of death
The Riverside County Coroner’s Bureau determined that Sperbeck died of blunt head trauma, according to TMZ. He suffered his injury after falling off a golf cart while Elway was wheeling around a golf cart in La Quinta, Calif., on April 26.
This story will be updated.
