Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker James Pearce Jr. was arrested in South Florida on Saturday after an alleged dispute involving WNBA player Rickea Jackson, authorities said.<\/p>\n
Doral police Chief Edwin Lopez told WPLG<\/a> that Pearce, 22, was arrested fleeing a domestic dispute and crashing his vehicle while police chased him.<\/p>\n Pearce was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:58 p.m. ET on Saturday, according to Miami-Dade County online booking records. He was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and one count each of aggravated stalking and fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren. He was also charged with resisting an officer without violence.<\/p>\n Lopez told WPLG<\/a> that the alleged dispute was between Pearce and Jackson, 24, a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks. The television station reported that officers were initially dispatched to Doral Police Department headquarters after receiving a call about a dispute between a male and female.<\/p>\n In a statement, the Falcons said they were \u201caware\u201d of the incident involving Pearce.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time,\u201d the team said.<\/p>\n Pearce, an edge rusher from Tennessee, was one of the Falcons\u2019 two first-round picks<\/a> — and No. 26 overall — in the 2025 NFL draft. He had 10.5 sacks<\/a>, forced a fumble<\/a> and recovered a fumble<\/a>.<\/p>\n His 45 quarterback pressures set a team record for a rookie, WSB<\/a> reported. He had 26 tackles and Pearce had 26 tackles and 16 quarterback hits. He forced a fumble and recovered a fumble while playing in all 17 games.<\/p>\n Pearce was runner-up to the Cleveland Browns\u2019 Carson Schwesinger for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, USA Today<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n