John Elway golf cart accident: Coroner rules on death of agent

USA Today

11-05-2025

John Elway golf cart accident: Coroner rules on death of agent
The Riverside County Coroner has determined that the death of a man who fell from a golf cart driven by former star NFL quarterback John Elway was accidental, the county sheriff's department said Friday.
The coroner also said that it has determined that Jeffrey Sperbeck's death was the result of "blunt head trauma." The mode of death, which describes how the injury occurred, was "passenger fell from a golf cart."
The department announced the results of the coroner's investigation into Sperbeck's death in a post on the social media site X on Friday, May 9. A department spokesperson told The Desert Sun Friday that the investigation into Sperbeck's death remains ongoing.
The agency tweeted about the status of the investigation on May 2, saying "at this point there is nothing to indicate that this is anything more than a tragic incident."
That same day, Sheriff Chad Bianco told The Denver Post newspaper that no evidence had been found so far indicating that Elway had been driving the golf cart while drunk.
Sperbeck's fall occurred at around 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at The Madison Club in La Quinta. TMZ reported that Sperbeck, who has been described as Elway's close friend, business partner and former agent, the quarterback and their spouses were at the Madison Club for a party being held to coincide with the Stagecoach Music Festival.
TMZ reported that Sperbeck suddenly fell off a cart, hit his head and was brought to a hospital. The 62-year-old man died from his injuries on April 30 at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, according to a coroner's report.
Although Sperbeck's fall was on a Saturday, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department was not notified until the following Monday, April 28.
While the sheriff's department has opened an investigation into the crash, Bianco told The Denver Post on May 2 that there was 'nothing that we have found' to indicate law enforcement should've been involved sooner.
Bianco said that the investigation into Sperbeck's death would likely be "relatively short" and involve review of surveillance footage and witness testimony. He said that so far there had been no discrepancies in witnesses' statements.
What is Madison Club La Quinta?
The Madison Club is a high-end golf residential community off of Avenue 52 in La Quinta, developed by Discovery Land Company. Its amenities include a golf course designed by well-known golf architect Tom Fazio, a member's clubhouse, a day spa and a fitness facility.
The Madison Club is also known for its star studded roster of homeowners that has included such big names in business and entertainment as Apple CEO Tim Cook, entertainment executive Irving Azoff, and several members of the Kardashian-Jenner family.
This is a developing story.