Star NFL linebacker James Pearce Jr is behind bars in Florida after fleeing a domestic dispute with his WNBA star girlfriend and crashing his car while being chased down by police.
The Atlanta Falcons rookie, 22, was arrested on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (two counts), aggravated stalking and fleeing/eluding police in Doral County.
Local 10 News first reported the news of the arrest, which occurred after a dispute between Pearce and his WNBAÂ star girlfriend Rickea Jackson, who is currently playing for the Breeze in Unrivaled, based in Miami.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez confirmed the identity of both parties involved, with Pearce fleeing and later crashing at Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street, before being cuffed and taken to jail.
It is understood that officers first arrived at the scene after a report of a male and female involved in a dispute, at which point Pearce Jr fled the scene.Â
Concerning footage soon emerged on social media showing six police officers pinning Pearce Jr to the ground while they tried to detain him after the crash.
James Pearce Jr walked the red carpet at NFL Honors in San Francisco on Thursday night
He was arrested on Saturday after a domestic dispute involving his girlfriend Rickea Jackson
WNBA star Jackson (second left) was pictured alongside Pearce Jr at the NFL Draft last year
Pearce Jr, a 6-foot-5 NFL linebacker, is pictured in his mugshot on Saturday
A second clip then shows him cuffed against the back of a police car, before being guided into the back seat to be taken to jail.Â
Police records seen by the Daily Mail show that Pearce Jr – a 6-foot-5, 230lb NFL linebacker – was booked at 6:58pm EST on Saturday night.
As of Saturday night, Pearce was behind bars at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with his bond yet to be set.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Falcons said: ‘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.’
His shocking fall from grace comes just two days after he was at NFL Honors in San Francisco, nominated for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Pearce Jr was pictured on the red carpet of the glitzy pre-Super Bowl event, and he came third in the voting behind winner Carson Schwesinger and the Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori.
Pearce was a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, being selected No 26 overall out of Tennessee, and he went on to enjoy a brilliant first season as a pro after the Falcons traded up to get him.
He recorded 17 solo tackles and 10.5 sacks in his rookie year, but his career is now in doubt after the shocking arrest on Saturday night.
Pearce Jr was nominated for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after a fast start with Atlanta
She is currently playing in Unrivaled for the Breeze, and was on court hours before the arrest
It is unclear how long Pearce Jr and basketball star Jackson have been dating, but they attended the University of Tennessee together and were publicly spotted together at the NFL Draft.Â
In May, when asked who his favorite athlete of all-time was growing up, Pearce Jr said: ‘Rickea Jackson. Fluid, smooth, sound and technical.’
Jackson plays in the WNBA for the LA Sparks and is currently starring in the new Unrivaled league for the Breeze, taking to the court on Friday night, just hours before her man’s arrest.
She is currently scheduled to take part in the league’s 1-on-1 tournament on Wednesday night, in which she will face off against Kahleah Copper.
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NFL first-round pick James Pearce arrested for aggravated battery and stalking of WNBA star girlfriend after wild police chase ended in crash