Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. was arrested on Saturday in Doral, Florida and booked in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. 
Booking records indicate Pearce faces two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He has also been charged with one count each of aggravated stalking and fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren. According to Pablo Hernandez of WPLG Local 10 News, Pearce was arrested after crashing his car while fleeing police.
Doral Police was dispatched to a dispute involving one man and one woman. Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez stated the woman in question was WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Jackson, 24, was selected in the first round of the league’s 2024 draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. Pearce is alleged to have fled the scene prior to ultimately crashing and being detained.
Andy Slater of Fox Sports South Florida reports Pearce is accused of intentionally crashing his Lamborghini into Jackson’s car to prevent her from reaching a police station. It was that incident, he adds, which led to the Pearce police chase.
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr., in Miami,” a team statement reads (h/t Josh Kendall of The Athletic). “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
The Falcons made a concerted effort to boost their pass rush during the opening round of the 2025 draft. After selecting Jalon Walker 15th overall, Atlanta traded back into the Day 1 order and added Pearce with pick No. 26. The arrival of both players proved highly impactful in upgrading the Falcons’ production along the edge. Pearce, 22, collected 10.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 2025. Those totals helped him finish third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Pearce’s bond has yet to be set, according to the WPLG piece. His arrest report has not yet been made available, it adds, limiting details on the nature of the alleged incident.
Praying for the victim 🙏 let’s hope she’s safe and that this guy stays away…..will the NFL take this serious this time ???
Yikes
I guess these are some of those character concerns coming to life on why he was still around at number 26 in the NFL Draft despite the talent on the field obviously being there.
Wonder if this is a Falcons induced suspension or a NFL one
I bet the league will make an example of him, he’ll get a two game suspension & they’ll make him take a class & read an apology written by his lawyer!
He’s probably doing time
Come on man you just had a an amazing rookie year why do all these stupid nonsense smh
Another guy who seems destined to waste his talents on being in jail. Amazing to me. So Cunningham starts off behind the 8 ball. Sad.
Wow.
Everybody who looked into drafting him clearly knew him getting himself arrested was a risk but wow.
Hit her car multiple times, allegedly hit a police officer. Not the car, but the officer.
This dude might have just out of the NFL with this
Yikes. One of the weird parts of the Falcons trading a future first to draft him was that he had character concerns, but I don’t think it was this realm.
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr.,” a team statement reads. “We are in the process of regretting our decision to trade a 2025 2nd and a 2026 1st for him and will not have any further comment at this time.”