Man won’t face charges in crash that killed NFL coach Greg Knapp

SAN RAMON >> Criminal charges will not be filed against the driver suspected of hitting and killing former 49ers and Raiders assistant coach Greg Knapp, Contra Costa County prosecutors said.

“The Office of the District Attorney has determined that there is insufficient evidence to satisfy the requisite standard of criminal negligence on the part of the suspect driver,” prosecutors said in a statement Friday.

Knapp was riding his bicycle on the afternoon of July 17 on Dougherty Road near North Monarch Road in San Ramon when a driver swerved into the bike lane and hit him, police said.

The driver, identified by police as a 22-year-old Danville man, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. At the time, police said neither alcohol nor drugs appeared to be a contributing factor to the crash.

In their statement, prosecutors acknowledged the dangers of distracted driving, saying “to truly promote road safety motorists need to be attentive drivers as well.” Asked if the driver was distracted at the time of the crash, a spokesperson said “no.”

Knapp was rushed to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, where he died of his injuries on July 22.

The former Sacramento State quarterback coached with the 49ers and Raiders during his 26-year career. He specialized in quarterbacks and was Peyton Manning’s quarterback coach when the 2015 Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium.

“My career’s gone fast. I’ve been very fortunate,” Knapp told the Sacramento Bee in February 2016. “I’ve survived the ups and downs of this profession, and in each move, I’ve gained more. … Heck of a ride.”

In 2017, when Knapp was out of the NFL, he continued to coach, doing so on the San Ramon Valley High junior varsity softball team that included his stepdaughter Natalie.

Knapp was hired this year as the New York Jets’ passing game specialist under new coach Robert Saleh and spent his off-season tutoring rookie quarterback Zach Wilson.

“Greg had such an inner peace about him that people always seemed to gravitate toward,” Saleh said in a statement through the Jets after Knapp died. “He lived life in a loving way that helped him connect with people from all walks of life in a unique way.”