
Investigation into golf cart accident that left NFL legend John Elway's agent dead remains open
Deputies in California will keep open an investigation into a golf cart accident reportedly involving Denver Broncos legend John Elway but say all witnesses have been interviewed, and nothing indicates foul play was involved.
TMZ reported John Elway was driving a golf cart at The Madison Club in La Quinta, California, April 26 when his longtime agent and friend, Jeffrey Sperbeck, 62, fell out and hit his head.
The two were leaving a Stagecoach after-party, the outlet reported.
A spokesperson for Cal Fire told Fox News Digital Sperbeck sustained "serious injuries" and was transported to a hospital. He was initially listed in critical condition, but he died April 30.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told Fox News Digital the case will remain open until all residents who may have video are contacted, but there's nothing indicating foul play.
"We determined the case would remain open until we contacted all residents who might have video of the path traveled. All potential witnesses have been interviewed. There is no evidence or statement to indicate this is nothing more than a tragic accident," Bianco said.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Bureau previously ruled Sperbeck's death accidental, saying his death was the result of blunt head trauma, according to a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
The coroner's office said the injury happened when the "passenger fell from" the golf cart.
In a statement released after Sperbeck's death, Elway said he was "devastated," according to ESPN.
"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."
Sperbeck's family also released a statement.
"We are deeply saddened to share the passing of our beloved Jeff Sperbeck. He was a wonderful father, husband, brother, son and friend to many and will be profoundly missed by all," the Sperbeck family said. "We are grieving this unimaginable loss as a family alongside our dearest friends the Elway's and the many other clients Jeff called friends."
Sperbeck became Elway's manager in 1990. Among Sperbeck's clients were Pro Football Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott and Jim Plunkett, in addition to hundreds of other NFL players.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
"I had to go to the hospital for three days. I was just emotionally spent" - West said acquiring Kobe and Shaqal in the same offseason crushed his health
In the years following the Showtime era, the Los Angeles Lakers entered unfamiliar territory — irrelevance. The once-feared juggernaut, anchored by Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, began fading into the background of NBA contention after their retirements. Pat Riley, the architect of the franchise's '80s dominance, had also moved on. By the mid-1990s, the Lakers were merely a shadow of what they once represented: a team struggling to maintain its identity in a league rapidly evolving around it. An exhausting summer For Jerry West, the late Hall of Fame player turned executive, it was a time for risk. In the summer of 1996, "The Logo" orchestrated one of the boldest double-moves in modern sports history, trading for the draft rights to 17-year-old Kobe Bryant and signing All-NBA center Shaquille O'Neal in free agency. Both acquisitions redefined the franchise for the next decade. But behind the scenes, the legendary general manager paid a steep price. Advertisement "After that was done and the draft was done, I had to go to the hospital for three days," West once said. "I was just emotionally spent and exhausted. I don't sleep. One day, I went to see the doctor, and he said the day after that, he said, 'we're going to have to put you in a hospital.' And I was there for three days." The legendary guard turned basketball executive had staked the Lakers' future on a high school prodigy and an unpredictable superstar center. The Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft. The teenager from Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania had never played a second of college basketball. Yet West saw something. He'd spent countless hours evaluating Bryant's footwork, instincts, and innate competitiveness. When he envisioned the 6'6" guard alongside a dominant big man, the next chapter of the Lakers' greatness began to take shape in his mind. To complete the picture, he pursued O'Neal — a three-time All-Star in Orlando, a global sensation, and arguably the most physically dominant center since Wilt Chamberlain. Convincing "Big Diesel" to come to L.A. required navigating a minefield of salary cap intricacies, internal politics and frenzied media speculation. West absorbed it all. Advertisement Related: "You gonna be calling me Mr. Jordan before the night is up" - John Starks recalls how he tried to intimidate Michael Jordan in his Knicks debut Jerry's Lakers blueprint By the time the ink dried on the two deals, the toll on West's body and mind had reached its limit. "The Logo," normally composed and intensely focused, simply couldn't go any further. Months of stress, sleepless nights and high-stakes decisions had culminated in three days of hospitalization. "I have no energy at all and I've always been a high-energy person," West revealed. "But that was the start of another great run for the Lakers and two of the greatest players we ever had." Advertisement The price West paid soon became the foundation for the next Lakers dynasty. From 2000 to 2002, Los Angeles captured three consecutive NBA championships. O'Neal won Finals MVP each time, dominating the paint with a blend of brute strength and underrated finesse. Maturing into a lethal scorer and tireless competitor, Bryant evolved from a precocious rookie to one of the league's most feared guards. Their partnership wasn't always smooth. Egos clashed and philosophical differences festered, but the results were undeniable. During their peak, the Lakers were the NBA's gold standard — winning 67 games in the 1999–2000 season and sweeping through the 2001 playoffs with a 15-1 postseason record, a mark that stood untouched for nearly two decades. Together, Bryant and O'Neal formed the most formidable inside-out duo since Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar. They were transformative. On the court, they forced opponents into submission. Though no longer GM when their championship run peaked, West laid the cornerstone of that success. Advertisement His foresight in gambling on a teenager and pulling the league's most sought-after free agent to Los Angeles changed the NBA's landscape. The league, at the time, had never seen a high school guard drafted that high. But Bryant went on to play 20 seasons for the Lakers, becoming the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Related: "Well, basketball here is different" - Kobe Bryant remembered Italian kids telling him he would never be an NBA player
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lakers' Luka Doncic makes mind-blowing admission about LeBron James
The post Lakers' Luka Doncic makes mind-blowing admission about LeBron James appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a disappointing playoff exit in the first round at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, but that didn't come as too much of a surprise with a roster that was still in flux after acquiring Luka Doncic midseason. Advertisement While you always take Doncic if he is presented to you, trading away Anthony Davis for him in the middle of the season left the Lakers without any reliable bigs heading into the playoffs. After the proposed trade for Mark Williams fell through, the Lakers didn't have any options in the middle. That really hurt them against the Timberwolves in the first round, but now the Lakers can focus on building a roster around Doncic and LeBron James heading into next season. After playing with James for a few months to end this season, Doncic couldn't believe how intense James' routines actually are. 'I've never played with a guy like this,' Doncic said. 'Being traded to LA, it was different, but just to play with guys like him, it's unbelievable. I can learn so much stuff. Off the court, he does so much stuff just to be ready for the game. Obviously on the court everybody knows what kind of player he is. Advertisement He shows up like 10 hours before the game… I came to the arena and he was already done working out.' Doncic and James unquestionably form one of the best duos in the NBA, but they need some more help around them in order to compete for a championship in the loaded Western Conference. The Lakers were down to just five players that JJ Redick trusted in that first-round series, which is not a sustainable way to make it through multiple rounds in the playoffs. Doncic was also recovering from a calf injury and playing himself into shape over the back half of the season. A full offseason to get ready and get acclimated in Los Angeles should do wonders for him, and he and James should be ready to make some noise in the purple and gold again next season.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trio caught stealing thousands worth of crops in Northern California, deputies say
( — Three people were arrested after they allegedly stole thousands of dollars worth of crops from a Northern California farm. On Sunday, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of agricultural theft near Waterloo and Fairchild—and what they found was 'fruit for thought'. Deputies said three individuals were caught red-handed (and red-fingered) in the middle of stealing cherries. Northern lights may be visible in Northern California amid severe geomagnetic storm 'Turns out, they weren't just picking fruit—they were picking a fight with the law,' SJCSO said. Over $2,000 worth of cherries were stolen, and another $2,000 in crop damage was done, according to the sheriff's office. Additionally, the suspects are accused of being involved in a string of similar thefts across multiple counties. The suspects were allegedly selling the stolen goods at fruit stands throughout California. Thousands of dollars in cash were seized, their vehicle was towed, and all three were booked on alleged charges including theft, conspiracy, and agricultural crimes. 'This wasn't just a petty pick—it was a well-organized produce plunder,' SJCSO said. 'The investigation is ongoing, with leads sprouting up across county lines.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.