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Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. has officially been charged following an incident involving his ex-girlfriend, Sparks forward Rickea Jackson, that occurred on Feb. 7.
On Thursday, the Miami-Dade State Attorney charged the 22-year-old Pearce with three felonies: aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person. A fourth felony of aggravated stalking was reduced to a misdemeanor, and a charge of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer was dropped.
Pearce is accused of following Jackson in her car and repeatedly using his own vehicle to collide with hers as she attempted to reach the Doral police station. When confronted by police, Pearce allegedly fled in his vehicle, causing a police chase before he crashed at an intersection, according to the arrest affidavit. He was subdued by officers after fleeing on foot and was released from custody on a $20,500 bond the following day.
The day after Pearce’s release, Jackson filed an injunction for a protective order against Pearce in Miami-Dade County. Jackson wrote in the filing that she was “in fear of my life” and that “James will kill me” if the court didn’t grant the order.
The couple dated for three years after meeting while both attended the University of Tennessee. Jackson wrote that she and Pearce broke up weeks before the incident and that she suffered from verbal and physical abuse from Pearce on multiple occasions, including previous threats of harm.
The court granted Jackson’s initial request for protection, with a hearing for a permanent injunction scheduled for April 21. Pearce is not allowed to have contact with Jackson or come within 500 feet of her home or place of employment, or 100 feet of her vehicle.
“We have been monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy,” an NFL spokesman told Front Office Sports on Pearce’s situation.
Pearce’s attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment. At a press conference on Friday, Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham told reporters of the accusations: “Those are concerning to say the least, but we are not going to comment on an open legal matter.”
Atlanta drafted Pearce with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He had a strong debut season with the team, leading all rookies with 10.5 sacks.
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