WNBA Player Seeks Protection Against Ex-NFL Boyfriend
WNBA player Rickea Jackson has filed for a protective order against her ex-partner, James Pearce Jr., a player for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. According to obtained court documents, Jackson stated she feels “fear for my life” and expressed her belief that, without court intervention, “James will kill me.”
Jackson, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks, filed for a restraining order against domestic violence after Pearce’s arrest on charges of assault and harassment. This happened after he allegedly crashed his car into hers on February 7th.
The court granted the initial protection request, and a hearing for a permanent restraining order is scheduled for April 21.
Jackson wrote that Pearce “verbally and physically abused me on more than one occasion” and threatened to kill, hurt, and injure her, as well as put a bag over her head, according to the court document.
Jackson detailed the February 7th incident that led to Pearce’s arrest, where she recounted that Pearce followed her in his vehicle while she was heading home. She called 911 and drove to a police station in Doral, Florida, “because she knew James was going to harm her.”
The player stated that Pearce chased her at high speed, blocked her at a traffic light, tried to enter her car, and climbed on top of the vehicle. Then, Pearce crashed his car into hers several times to make her lose control. Finally, he ran her off the road before reaching the Doral police station.
Upon arriving at the station, Jackson alerted an officer while Pearce rammed his car. The initial incident report indicates that the police pointed a weapon at Pearce, who disobeyed orders and returned to his car. Subsequently, Pearce allegedly hit a police officer with his car before crashing and fleeing, although he was eventually arrested.
Pearce, 22, faces five felony charges: two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated stalking, fleeing and evading police officers, and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. He also faces nine traffic citations and a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer without violence.
Jackson, 24, wrote in the petition that he felt most fear for his safety after trying to break up with Pearce weeks before his arrest. He also stated that Pearce offered him “up to $75,000” to visit him and “$200,000 to remain in a relationship with him” in the hours before the February 7 incident.
Jackson recounted that Pearce believed she was unfaithful to him and that tensions escalated during a confrontation in January. In the petition, Jackson wrote that Pearce took her phone, pulled her hair, and snatched her belongings. After the confrontation, Jackson did not want to continue the relationship. “James did not listen to my request and, instead, initiated a campaign of threats, physical assaults, and abuse against me.”
The description of the encounter is similar to that of an incident in an Uber, according to a police report from January 28 filed in Davie, Florida.
Davie police spoke with Jackson in person and then by phone with Pearce, who denied physically assaulting Jackson. In the report, Pearce admitted to suspecting Jackson of being unfaithful and explained that she offered to check his phones. The Uber driver present during the incident only observed a verbal argument, and the police found no evidence of a crime due to the conflicting statements and lack of physical injuries.
Jackson stated in the petition that Pearce had been harassing her via text messages, demanding that the relationship continue and “constantly banging on my front door on numerous occasions.” He also indicated that Pearce was sleeping in his car outside her house waiting for her to come out and standing in front of her house when asked to leave.
A police report from January 13 indicates that authorities told Pearce not to return to his ex-partner’s house.
