Falcons' James Pearce may get Miami-Dade domestic dispute charges dropped in 6 months

Miami-Dade prosecutors announced Thursday Atlanta Falcons player James Pearce Jr. was offered a pretrial diversion program where he could have his three felonies and one misdemeanor case dropped.

Prosecutors last month filed multiple charges against Pearce including aggravated battery, stalking, fleeing from police, and resisting an officer with violence.

The football player was arrested in Miami after fleeing officers and then crashing his car following what police said was a domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson back on Feb. 7.

Pearce, the first-round pick who led the Falcons in sacks and was third in NFL defensive rookie of the year voting, will need to undergo therapy and stay away from Jackson. If he successfully completes all the conditions, state attorneys will announce a dismissal of charges in six months.

According to the police account, Jackson told authorities she attempted to drive away from Pearce and was driving toward the Doral Police station to seek help when Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle with his SUV” before police arrived.

Pearce allegedly refused an initial order from police to “get on the floor,” according to details of the arrest in an affidavit. The police account said Pearce then drove away and hit a police officer’s left knee with his vehicle “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.”

According to police, Pearce wrecked his vehicle and then continued in his attempt to elude police by running before being apprehended following a “short struggle.”

Jackson filed a petition for protection against Pearce in February after she expressed fears for her safety that predated the incident for which he was arrested and charged.

“Due to his obsessive, insecure, violent and aggressive behavior, ending the relationship has been difficult and I am afraid for my life,” Jackson said in the petition filed in Miami-Dade County. “James has threatened to kill me, James has threatened to harm me, James has threatened to injure me, James has threatened to place a bag over my head, and James has verbally and physically abused.”

Jackson in the petition said Pearce snatched her phone, pulled her hair and took her belongings, at which point she decided to end their relationship.

She described a pattern of harassing behavior leading up to Feb. 7, including Pearce offering her $75,000 to visit him and $200,000 to remain in a relationship with him, according to the petition. Jackson said she was driving when she noticed Pearce following her in his car and she said he “began driving his vehicle erratically, at high speeds chasing after me.”

Jackson said in the petition she began driving to the Doral Police Department because she feared Pearce would hurt her. She said Pearce repeatedly struck her vehicle with his before getting to the station.

“I am in fear of my life and I believe, if this court does not assist me with this issue, James will kill me,” Jackson said, according to the documents.

Jackson, 24, is two years into her WNBA career. She said she and Pearce began dating when they were at the University of Tennessee together.

Pearce, 22, was the No. 26 pick in the NFL draft last year. He had 10 1/2 sacks and his 45 quarterback pressures set a Falcons rookie record.

Miami-Dade prosecutors also announced Thursday that Jackson and the officers involved approved of the program.

Yale Sanford, an attorney representing Pearce, told NBC6 this program was not his client admitting to anything, but more of a second chance for his client after state attorneys analyzed their case.

“Now that we have a positive resolution, we will see what the NFL does. The way this shaped out, will allow James Pearce Jr. to be on the field this year,” said Sanford.