Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said it appeared that there was “no evil” in the golf cart incident last weekend, which led to the death of Jeff Sperbeck, a close friend and business partner of John Elway.
The sheriff said his department’s investigation was almost completed and could be completed this weekend.
“We haven’t learned anything that shows this is an unfortunate accident,” Bianco said in a telephone interview Friday night.
Sperbeck fell from a moving golf cart in the Madison Club community at 6:50 p.m. on April 26 and hit him in the head. The 62-year-old San Clemente resident was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m. on April 30 at the Desert Regional Medical Center, according to the sheriff’s office.
Bianco said Speybeck was standing in the back of the cart when he fell. According to the sheriff, the cart was designed for two or four people, but at the time of the incident, there were five people – Perbeck, Elvi, their wife and one identity of Bianco.
The sheriff refused to confirm the report that Elway was driving a shopping cart. He added that the driver seemed to be at fault and there was no indication that alcohol was a factor.
“He doesn’t seem to have any other reason except for some reason,” Bianco said.
Elway said in a statement on April 30 that Spelbeck’s death was “absolutely destructive and sad.”
“No words can really express the profound sorrow that I mean so much to me that suddenly lost means so much to me,” Elway said. “Jeff will be deeply missed by the loyalty, wisdom, friendship and love he brought into my life and the lives of many others.”
During his 30 years as an agent and business consultant, Sperbeck has represented more than 100 NFL players, including Elway, which began in 1990. The two men later co-founded 7cellars winery, and Sperbeck served as CEO.
Elway played for the Denver Broncos for 16 seasons in Granada Hills High and Stanford football stars. He was a league MVP in 1987, leading the Broncos to a back-to-back Super Bowl title (1997, 1998) and made his debut in three other Super Bowl appearances.
Later, as the team’s general manager and executive vice president of football operations, Elway helped the Broncos play two more Super Bowls, including a victory after the 2015 season.
He was an advisor to the Broncos when his contract expires in 2023.
