Stating that she fears for her life, Sparks ahead Rickea Jackson has filed a petition for cover in opposition to her ex-boyfriend, Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
Miami-Dade (Fla.) County Decide Heloiza Correa granted Jackson’s preliminary request for cover Feb. 9, and a everlasting injunction listening to is ready for April 21. Pearce is below order to not have contact with Jackson or come inside 500 ft of her house or place of employment.
“James has threatened to kill me, James has threatened to hurt me, James has threatened to injure me, James has threatened to put a bag over my head, and James has verbally and bodily abused me on a couple of event,” Jackson wrote in her assertion to the courtroom.
Jackson, 24, additionally filed discover with the courtroom that she is prepared to testify in opposition to Pearce. Her unique petition for injunction for cover in opposition to relationship violence — primarily a restraining order — was filed two days after Pearce’s arrest Feb. 7 for allegedly ramming his Lamborghini SUV into her automobile greater than as soon as, and doing the identical to a police automobile in Doral, Fla.
Pearce, 22, faces felony fees of aggravated battery with a lethal weapon, aggravated stalking, aggravated battery and fleeing from a police officer. He additionally faces a misdemeanor cost of resisting an officer and 9 site visitors violations.
“Mr. Pearce maintains his innocence and urges the general public to grasp that whereas allegations have the ability to form a story, that it’s hardly the total, full story,” Pearce’s legal professional, Jacob Nunez, instructed AP shortly after the arrest. “We sit up for vigorously defending our consumer.”
In a courtroom submitting, Jackson stated that she broke up with Pearce weeks earlier than the incident that led to his arrest. She stated Pearce supplied her $200,000 to stay in a relationship with him and that his habits towards her turned more and more alarming. In line with ESPN, not less than seven different 911 calls to police within the months earlier than the Feb. 7 incident reported Pearce to be stalking or harassing an unnamed girlfriend.
A police report says the connection between Jackson and Pearce started three years in the past when each have been star athletes at Tennessee.
Pearce was taken by the Falcons within the first spherical of the 2025 draft with a decide acquired from the Rams. The 6-foot-5, 243-pound edge rusher completed third for AP Defensive Rookie of the Yr after recording 10.5 sacks.
Jackson was a first-round decide of the Sparks in 2024. The 6-2 ahead emerged as a star in her second season, choosing up MVP votes after averaging 14.7 factors, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
“She’s a easy particular person, easy athlete, easy basketball participant,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts stated in 2025. “She makes onerous issues look very easy … she makes issues look easy, and I do know they’re not.”
The connection between Jackson and Pearce turned unstable in January when the Falcons star admitted in a police report obtained by ESPN that he thought Jackson was dishonest on him.
The Feb. 7 incident was described in Jackson’s courtroom submitting and a police report. Jackson was making an attempt to get away from Pearce, who adopted her in his automobile, tried to open her automobile door at a cease and slammed into her automobile greater than as soon as whereas she tried to enter the Doral Police Division car parking zone “as a result of I knew James was going to harm me,” Jackson stated.
An officer pulled a gun on Pearce and ordered him to get on the bottom. Nevertheless, Pearce jumped again into his automobile. The officer tried to open the door, however Pearce shut it and drove away, his automobile clipping an officer’s left knee.
Police gave chase and Pearce crashed at an intersection earlier than fleeing on foot. Officers stated that they caught up with him and he resisted arrest. He was launched after posting a $20,500 bond.
