After a disappointing season, the Atlanta Falcons are currently building for the upcoming season. But now a concerning incident occurred, involving first-round pick James Pearce Jr., whose night took a sharp turn after a police chase ended in a crash.

According to a report from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. was arrested following that chase and now faces serious accusations.

“#Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. was arrested on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (two counts), aggravated stalking and fleeing/eluding police,” Garafolo reported on X.

Garafolo also added that Pearce was also hit with aggravated stalking and fleeing or eluding police charges. He even shared an image of the booking docket to confirm the details.

Before everything escalated, officers were first sent to DPD headquarters after a call about a dispute involving a man and a woman, which set the entire chain of events in motion.

According to police, Pearce, 23, left the scene and later crashed near Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street, where officers finally placed him in handcuffs.

However, things could have gone more horrifically, as insider Andy Slater reported, “Pearce Jr. also intentionally drove into a police officer, hitting the cop’s knee in an effort to get away, I’m told. The Atlanta Falcons linebacker is ‘lucky to be alive’ after that, a high-ranking police source tells me.”

Slater also added, “James Pearce Jr. is accused of intentionally crashing his Lamborghini into his ex-girlfriend’s car multiple times, trying to stop her from getting to a police station, law-enforcement sources tell me.”

Meanwhile, Local 10 News added another layer by reporting that the woman involved was WNBA star Rickea Jackson. The two were reportedly a couple during the summer of 2025, though Jackson later confirmed they split in September.

Pearce was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and his bond has not yet been set.

Soon after, the Falcons also released a statement.

The Falcons Issue Statement on James Pearce Jr.’s situation

Just hours after James Pearce Jr.’s incident became public, Mike Garafolo shared the Falcons’ official response.

“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.”

The Falcons selected Pearce in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he quickly became one of the league’s most disruptive defenders. In fact, he finished as the runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year after posting 10.5 sacks, the most by a rookie since Micah Parsons did it in 2024.

However, this is not the first time Pearce’s name has appeared in police reports. Back in December 2023, he was arrested during a traffic stop, according to a Knoxville Police Department incident report.

According to police, officers clocked Pearce going 63 mph in a 35 mph zone, and his vehicle carried an expired North Carolina temporary tag. Once they stopped him, authorities determined he was driving on a suspended North Carolina license. Pearce also failed to provide identification or proof of insurance at the scene.

Now, with another incident unfolding, all eyes are on how this latest chapter plays out.