John Elway golf cart incident: Former Broncos legend hires lawyer with history of repping athletes in trouble

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Broncos legend John Elway retained a Denver, Colorado-based lawyer following a deadly golf cart incident in California.

Elway’s agent and longtime friend Jeffrey Sperbeck, 62, fell off the back of a golf cart on Saturday night at the Madison Club in La Quinta, according to officials. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said in a press it “received information” about the incident two days later, on Monday, adding it has launched an investigation.

A Cal Fire spokesperson said it responded to the incident at 6:50 p.m., adding that Sperbeck suffered “serious injuries” and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he died on Wednesday. Elway hasn’t been charged with any crime in relation to the incident.

TMZ reported that Elway was driving the golf cart following a Stagecoach after-party when Sperbeck fell off. According to the report, Elway was the first person to call 911. Public records show Elway has a property just 10 minutes away from The Madison Club.

CALIFORNIA SHERIFF LEARNED OF JOHN ELWAY GOLF CART INCIDENT TWO DAYS LATER, SAYS IT’S NOW INVESTIGATING

Aug 5, 2022; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos consultant John Elway looks on during training camp at the UCHealth Training Center. (Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)

Fox News Digital confirmed on Friday that Elway has retained Denver-based lawyer Harvey Steinberg.

Steinberg has represented several prominent athletes and sports figures, such as Broncos executives Matt Russell and Tom Heckert. He has also represented NBA player Ty Lawson, according to CBS News.

In the Miami road rage case of Elvis Dumervil, Steinberg successfully got the case dismissed. Steinberg also successfully defended Arizona Cardinals Place Kicker Matt Prater, who had a yearlong alcohol suspension reduced to one month.

The Cal Fire spokesperson added that the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office wasn’t requested to respond to the incident “due to the call being medical in nature.”

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said it would “take appropriate action based on the outcome” of the investigation.

JOHN ELWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON AGENT’S DEATH AFTER GOLF CART CRASH

Dec 26, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos president of football operations John Elway watches from the sidelines during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

When asked by Fox News Digital why it took two days to learn about the incident involving Elway, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office didn’t respond.

Following the golf cart incident, Elway made his first public statement to ESPN on Wednesday.

“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 on Wednesday.

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The Madison Club golf course designed by Tom Fazio in La Quinta, California, Feb. 4, 2025. (Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

“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.”

Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.