Falcons star James Pearce Jr., who faces three felony charges stemming from allegedly crashing his car into a vehicle driven by his former girlfriend, will have all charges against him dropped if he completes an intervention program offered by the state of Florida, Pearce’s attorney confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday morning.
The arrangement was reached with the agreement of the accuser, WNBA player Rickea Jackson, and police officers involved in the case, according to attorney Yale Sanford.
The news was first reported by Andy Slater of Fox Sports South Florida.
After the Feb. 7 incident in Doral, Florida, Pearce was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding a police officer, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person.
Pearce was accused of chasing Jackson in his SUV and ramming her car multiple times as she drove to the Doral police station and then attempting to flee officers on foot.
Pearce also was charged with stalking, a misdemeanor.
After the incident, Jackson asked a judge to permanently bar Pearce from having any contact with her, writing that “I am in fear of my life and I believe, if this Court does not assist me with this issue, James will kill me.”
The program would include therapy sessions for six months.
“This resolution allows the matter to be addressed and fully resolved without further litigation, and he is committed to meeting all conditions,” Sanford, Pearce’s attorney, wrote on his X account. “James is focused on moving forward, rejoining his teammates and the Atlanta Falcons organization as a whole, performing at the highest level, and continuing to be a team player on and off the field.”
A Falcons spokesperson declined to comment on the grounds that it is an ongoing legal matter.
Earlier this week, team general manager Ian Cunningham said at a pre-draft news conference that “everything is status quo” regarding Pearce without elaborating.
Former longtime Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter told the AJC that the proposed resolution is “not a complete outlier.” Diversion programs are not unusual for people charged with misdemeanors or what he termed a “low-grade felony,” but he noted the charges in this case rise above that threshold.
“I think the key here is that the (former) girlfriend is on board with diverting him and the police are on board, and that probably swayed the whole deal,” Porter said.
After the Falcons selected him with a first-round pick in 2025, Pearce went on to have a standout rookie season, recording 10.5 sacks to set a club rookie record.
It is not clear what Pearce’s path to the field will be, though an NFL suspension is a possibility.
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