Days after finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, pa s-rusher James Pearce began facing serious legal trouble. Pearce was arrested after an incident involving WNBA standout Rickea Jackson, and he received more charges as a result of an interaction with police. The Falcons traded up to select Pearce with the No. 26 pick in the 2025 draft, dealing their 2026 first-round pick to the to make the selection. Pearce recorded 10.5 sacks in his rookie season, but legal i sues are now threatening to overshadow that production. Here's what you need to know about Pearce's arrest and the charges he is facing. MORE: James Pearce Jr. arrest details Pearce was arrested in February after allegedly crashing his car into the vehicle of Los Angeles Sparks star and ex-girlfriend Dominique Wilkins Jersey Rickea Jackson in Doral, Florida. first reported the details of the incident. Police claim Pearce deliberately crashed into Jackson's car twice as she tried to drive to a police station, and Pearce is also accused of intentionally hitting an officer with his car as he attempted to flee. The alleged incident began when Jackson noticed Pearce following her in his car. When Jackson stopped at a red light, Pearce got out of his car and tried to open a door, she told police. Jackson then called 911 and drove to a police station, and Pearce is accused of hitting her car with his twice along the way. Pearce led police on a chase, during which he is accused of hitting an officer with his car, and police said the Falcons pa s-rusher "began to resist arrest by tensing his arms and not allowing officers to apprehend him" after he finally exited his car following a crash. Pearce was released from custody after posting bail.Here's a look at the charges Pearce is facing. James Pearce Jr. charges Pearce was initially hit with six charges after the incident: Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (two counts) Aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer Aggravated stalking Fleeing and eluding police Resisting without violence Five of the charges against Pearce were felonies. In addition, he was givennine traffic citations as a result of the chase,including reckle s driving with damage to a person or property, operating on the wrong side of the road and fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer. If convicted in a trial, Pearce would face prison time, according to Florida law. Aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer carries a minimum five-year prison sentence in the state. While Pearce could certainly look to work out a plea deal to le sen the punishment, he is facing serious legal challenges that go beyond just concerns about an NFL suspension. Pearce was released on $20,500 bond on Feb. 8. On Feb. 10, Jackson's attorneys filed a court notice indicating she "is willing to testify" against Pearce if the domestic violence charges of aggravated battery and aggravated stalking go to trial, according to On Mar. 12, that four charges were brought against Pearce by the Miami-Dade (Florida) State Attorney. He was reportedly charged 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 arrest charge of felony aggravated stalking was changed to a misdemeanor, . The charge ofaggravated battery of a law enforcement officer was dropped. MORE: James Pearce Jr. arrest video While video didn't capture the entire incident, here is a glimpse of the struggle between Pearce and police officers on Saturday morning. Here's video of police arresting DE James Pearce Jr. earlier today following a police chase. ( quepasaendoral/IG) Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) James Pearce Jr. character concerns Before the 2025 NFL Draft, rumors swirled about character concerns surrounding Pearce. The Tenne see product was once a projected top-10 pick but slipped to the back end of the first round. , Pearce's concerns weren't related to a specific incident but rather to "on-field drive and attitude." From the outside looking in, Pearce's on-field drive and attitude weren't much of an i sue in 2025, as he recorded 10.5 sacks in his rookie season. After Saturday's incident, however, Pearce's character concerns go well beyond anything he does or doesn't do on the field or in the team facility. MORE: James Pearce Jr.-Rickea Jackson relationship While Pearce and Jackson largely avoided confirming their relationship, the two dated for an unconfirmed period of time. Jackson allegedly told police after Saturday's incident that she and Pearce had recently broken up. Pearce and Jackson both attended the University of Tenne see, with Jackson starring for the women's basketball team. Jackson was the No. 4 pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, landing with the Sparks and quickly emerging as one of the league's top young players. In 2025, Jackson was spotted alongside Pearce on NFL Draft night: James Pearce Jr. is heading to the Atlanta Falcons with the 26th pick ESPN (@espn) Pearce is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, while Jackson is from Detroit. Sean Elliott Jersey