California sheriff learned of John Elway golf cart incident two days later, says it's now investigating
Deputies in California say they didn't hear about a golf cart incident where Broncos legend John Elway was reportedly behind the wheel until two days after it happened.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Office said in a press release it "received information" on Monday regarding a golf cart incident that happened on Saturday at The Madison Club in La Quinta, California. According to officials, Elway's agent and longtime friend Jeffrey Sperbeck, 62, fell off the back of a golf cart.
TMZ reported that Elway was driving the golf cart at the time and the two were leaving a Stagecoach after-party when the golf cart incident happened. Elway was reportedly the first person to call 911. Public records indicate Elway has a property that's a 10-minute drive from The Madison Club.
A spokesperson for Cal Fire told Fox News Digital it worked with the Riverside County Fire Department in responding to the incident at 6:50 p.m. Authorities said Sperbeck suffered "serious injuries" and was transported to a local hospital and initially listed in critical condition, where he died on Wednesday at the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.
Fox News Digital reached out to The Madison Club and Elway for comment.
The Cal Fire spokesperson said that the Riverside County Sheriff's Office wasn't requested to respond to the incident "due to the call being medical in nature."
In a statement, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office said it would conduct an investigation into the death of Sperbeck "and will take appropriate action based on the outcome."
The Riverside County Sheriff's Office didn't respond to Fox News Digital when asked why the office didn't hear about the incident until two days later.
John Elway made his first public comments regarding the incident after Sperbeck passed away on Wednesday, 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 following his passing.
"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's relationship with Elway began in 1990 after becoming his manager. Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott and Jim Plunkett were also among Sperbeck's clients, but he has represented hundreds of NFL players.
Elway led the Broncos to two Super Bowls during his 16 years in the NFL, all of which were with Denver. He went on to become the Broncos general manager and executive vice president after he left the league as a player, then was a consultant for the team up until March 2023.
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