A Florida court has granted WNBA star Rickea Jackson a temporary protective order against James Pearce Jr., adding a new legal development to an already serious case involving the Atlanta Falcons rookie.
Court records obtained by ESPN show that Jackson filed the petition for protection from dating violence after saying she feared for her life following a series of alleged incidents involving her former boyfriend.
The court approved the request and scheduled a hearing for April 21 to determine whether the order will become permanent. Until then, Pearce is prohibited from contacting Jackson and must remain at least 500 feet away from her home and workplace, as well as 100 feet away from her vehicle.
In her filing, the Los Angeles Sparks forward said she believed that without court intervention, “James will kill me,” and described multiple instances of alleged verbal and physical abuse.
Jackson’s petition outlines a series of confrontations that escalated earlier this year. She wrote that Pearce had threatened to harm her and described situations in which he allegedly tried to intimidate her into continuing their relationship.
According to the filing, Pearce offered her money to maintain contact, allegedly proposing as much as $75,000 to visit him and $200,000 to remain in the relationship.
The protective order stems in part from an incident on February 7 that led to Pearce’s arrest near Miami. Jackson told the court she called 911 after realizing Pearce was following her while she was driving home. She said she attempted to reach a police station in Doral because she believed she was in immediate danger.
According to her account, Pearce chased her at high speeds, blocked her vehicle at a traffic light, and later struck her car multiple times while attempting to force it off the road.
Police records show the encounter ultimately ended near the police station, where Jackson flagged down an officer. Authorities allege Pearce rammed Jackson’s vehicle again and ignored commands from officers before driving away.
Police say he later struck an officer with his vehicle during the confrontation before crashing and attempting to flee on foot. He was eventually arrested.
Pearce now faces multiple felony counts, including two charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, fleeing law enforcement, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. He also faces a misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest without violence, along with several traffic citations.
Before the incident, Pearce had been emerging as one of the NFL’s most productive rookies. The 22-year-old pass rusher finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after recording 10.5 sacks in his first season with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons said previously that they were aware of the situation and were gathering information but declined further comment while the legal process unfolds.
Jackson’s filing also references earlier confrontations, including a January dispute that prompted a police report in Florida. Authorities at the time documented conflicting accounts and said there was insufficient evidence to file charges.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788 for confidential support 24/7.