Falcons star James Pearce Jr. granted bond, charged with 5 felonies in alleged dispute with WNBA player

DORAL, Fla. — Atlanta Falcons rookie and star edge rusher James Pearce Jr. was granted bond on Sunday Miami-Dade County after being charged with five felonies stemming from an alleged dispute with his girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson.

At last check, he was still in jail.

Pearce, who finished third in voting for the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year award announced Thursday at NFL Honors, was arrested Saturday afternoon in Miami-Dade County on multiple felony charges, police said.

Pearce made his first appearance with the judge via video call on Sunday, where she read his charges that include two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated stalking. Additional felony charges include fleeing and eluding police and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. He is also charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence.

Pearce remained in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after being granted a $20,500 bond. The case has been assigned to the felony domestic crimes intake unit, the judge said.

Jackson and Pearce Jr. played basketball and football, respectively, at the same time while in school together at the University of Tennessee.

Court records show Pearce was issued a pretrial conditional stay-away order involving Jackson, a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Atlanta Falcons released a statement on Saturday regarding Pearce’s arrest.

“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.”