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John Elway Won't Face Charges in Golf Cart Death of Friend as Police Rule Incident an 'Accident'
Police have officially ruled out criminal charges in connection with sports agent Jeff Sperbeck's death in April
Sperbeck was riding in a golf cart with friend and business partner John Elway before he fell off and hit his head
Sperbeck was 62Police have officially ruled the death of John Elway's longtime friend and agent Jeff Sperbeck a 'tragic accident,' and have announced that no charges will be filed.
Sperbeck died on April 30, four days after he fell from a golf cart and hit his head.
Sperbeck was 62 years old.
In May, officials announced that Sperbeck's cause of death was from blunt force trauma to the head, PEOPLE previously reported. The Riverside County Coroner's Bureau told PEOPLE that Sperbeck's death appeared to be an accident, and that the fatal injury occurred when the "passenger fell from" the golf cart.
Riverside County Sheriff's Office officials have long said there was 'nothing' to indicate foul play or any criminal activity that led to Sperbeck's death, and on Monday, authorities made that assumption official.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told local 9News that authorities have concluded their investigation into the incident and shared that 'nothing criminal' had taken place.
'It's over,'' Bianco told the outlet. '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.'
Bianco confirmed to the local news station that Elway was driving the golf cart at the time of the accident and that they were driving back to Elway's home from the nearby Madison Club in La Quinta, Calif. The sheriff said video of the incident allowed police to closely review what happened.
'I've looked at the video 100 times and there's no explanation as to why he fell off,' Bianco told 9News. 'He just fell off.'
Elway made the 911 call immediately after Sperbeck fell. 'I listened to the entire 911 call,'' Bianco previously told the outlet. 'He was very articulate. He was very responsive. He was not slurring his words. He was not hesitating in his response with the dispatcher. It was a normal urgent conversation.'
Sperbeck was Elway's agent during his NFL playing career. The two became close and later co-founded the winery 7Cellars together. According to their business' website, Sperbeck worked with more than 100 NFL players throughout his career as an agent, including Elway. The Hall of Fame quarterback began working with Sperbeck in 1990 and also helped the retired NFL star open several restaurants under his own name.
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Elway spoke out about Sperbeck's death in late April, and shared how his longtime friend's passing had been impacting him in a statement to two-time Super Bowl champion said he was "absolutely devastated and heartbroken" by the tragedy.
"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," Elway's statement said. "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.'
Read the original article on People
