Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. was charged with three felonies and one misdemeanor related to a Feb. 7 incident involving WNBA player Rickea Jackson.
Per circuit court documents, Miami-Dade County (Florida) State Attorney Katherine Rundle filed the following charges against Pearce:
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Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (felony)
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Fleeing and eluding police (felony)
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Resisting an officer with violence (felony)
Two more charges of aggravated battery and aggravated stalking were dropped.
Jackson filed a protective order earlier this week and said she was “in fear of my life” and believed “James will kill me” after the Feb. 7 incident in which Pearce allegedly drove his vehicle into hers while she was attempting to flee to a police station in Doral, Florida.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez stated that Pearce crashed the vehicle he was driving after fleeing the scene of a dispute at Doral police headquarters.
Pearce was arrested that day on two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated stalking, fleeing and eluding police officers and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer. He was released from custody a day later on $20,500 bond.
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The Falcons released the following statement after his release:
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr., in Miami. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
Jackson separately filed a notice stating that she would testify against Pearce in court proceedings. A hearing for her protection request is set for April 21. Pearce is not allowed to contact Jackson or be within 500 feet of her, her vehicle, her home or her place of work.
Jackson and Pearce were both star athletes at the University of Tennessee; Jackson on the women’s basketball team, Pearce on the football team. Jackson was selected No. 4 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. Pearce was drafted No. 26 overall by the Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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This story will be updated with more information when available.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Pearce Jr. updates as Falcons’ DL faces 3 felonies, misdemeanor
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