DENVER — Riverside County Sheriff's Office issued a press release Monday afternoon that confirmed what 9NEWS reported Friday -- that the investigation into the fatal golf cart crash that claimed the life of John Elway's longtime friend Jeff Sperbeck had concluded with the finding no criminal charges would be filed.

"Following a thorough investigation into the death of Jeff Sperbeck, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has determined that the incident was a tragic accident with no evidence of criminal activity or intent,'' Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco stated Monday in a press release. "Consequently, no criminal charges will be filed at this time, and the case will be documented as an accidental death."

Sperbeck's family and Elway can move forward with some closure as the law enforcement agency has closed its investigation into the fatal golf cart incident that occurred in late April in a gated Southern California community.

“It’s over,’’ Bianco told 9NEWS on Friday. “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.”

The incident occurred April 26 as Elway, the Hall of Fame quarterback and three-time Super Bowl-champion as a Broncos player (1997-98) and general manager (2015), was driving a golf cart out of the Madison Club toward his home a quarter-mile away. Sperbeck fell off the back of the golf cart and suffered a fatal head injury.

"This has been a very difficult situation for everyone,'' Elway's attorney Harvey Steinberg told 9NEWS on Monday. "We always knew John had done nothing wrong, but that doesn't lessen the sadness associated with this situation.

The Riverside coroner’s bureau found Sperbeck’s cause of death to be “blunt force trauma,’’ the manner of the death was “an accident” and the cause of the accident was the “passenger fell from the golf cart.”

“I’ve looked at video 100 times and there’s no explanation as to why he fell off, he just fell off,’’ Bianco said.

Bianco initially was going to wrap up the investigation in late-May but decided to wait until it contacted 18 additional residents with video in the private golf course neighborhood before concluding that matter. That part of the investigation was concluded with nothing new revealed.

Sperbeck had been an NFL agent to more than 100 players, coaches and executives. He was the type of agent and marketing rep who stayed in touched with his clients long after the NFL careers ended.

When one of Sperbeck's clients, former Broncos and Peyton Manning quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp, was killed four years ago while riding his bicycle by a driver distracted by his cellphone, Sperbeck helped Knapp's wife Charlotte not only with service arrangements, but in helping to found the Coach Knapp Memorial Fund that promotes distracted driver awareness and reform. The cause includes an annual stadium stair climb by NFL coaches as running the stadium stairs was part of Knapp's pregame routines.

Elway and Sperbeck were partners in several businesses, most notably 7 Cellars wine. Sperbeck had been Elway’s marketing representative since the latter’s prime as the Broncos’ superstar quarterback in the early 1990s, a relationship that grew into a close friendship.

When Elway was the Broncos’ general manager from 2011-2020, and the team was playing a road game out West, Sperbeck, who had a home in Southern California, would almost always accompany him.

They were together over the final weekend in April. According to sources who spoke to 9NEWS, Elway, his girlfriend, his son Jack and his wife, the Sperbecks and their friends left a private function sponsored by Vuori clothing line at the Madison Club in La Quinta on Saturday, April 26. They did not attend the outdoor Stagecoach country music festival in nearby Indio, as had been reported initially.

They did go to Stagecoach the night before, but it was windy and uncomfortably cold. They decided at the function on April 26 not to go again because of the inclement weather. Instead, a caravan of three or four golf carts with a total of 10 to 15 people set out to make the quarter-mile trip to Elway’s house at the private golf resort’s community.

Elway’s son Jack and his group were in a cart ahead; Elway was driving his cart at the rear of the caravan. His girlfriend was seated next to him with Sperbeck’s wife, Cori, was seated on the outside. Sperbeck and Johnny Devenanzio, who is also known by his stage name Johnny Bananas, stood in the back of the cart. Elway was following the carts ahead when Sperbeck fell off, sources said.

There was no swerving or horseplay, according to sources. No one was drunk, according to multiple sources. The cart didn’t hit anything. It had been a smooth ride.

Indications were that Sperbeck fell straight back and hit his head immediately. He had no other injuries, according to a source.

After Sperbeck fell off the cart, Devenanzio yelled up to the front. Elway stopped the cart as Cori Sperbeck rushed to her husband. Sperbeck was breathing, but it was immediately apparent he had suffered a significant injury, a source said.

Elway called 9-1-1, according to a source, and paramedics arrived quickly, but little could be done. Sheriff Bianco said he could tell by the 9-1-1 call that Elway was in no way impaired.

“I listened to the entire 9-1-1 call,’’ Bianco said told 9NEWS in May. “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 rushed to a local hospital with a brain injury. He died four days later. His organs were donated.

Elway released a statement upon his friend’s death: “I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck. 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. 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.”

Sperbeck’s Celebration of Life was held June 7 at the gymnasium of his high school alma mater, Jesuit High School in Sacramento. Elway was among the hundreds who attended.