James Pearce Jr. and Rickea Jackson: arrest details and where things stand

James Pearce Jr., an Atlanta Falcons rookie pass rusher, was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida, late Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 (ET), after an incident that police said began as a domestic dispute involving WNBA player Rickea Jackson and escalated into a vehicle pursuit and crash. The case has also pulled renewed attention to the pair’s relationship history, including questions from fans about whether Jackson’s boyfriend is Pearce—or whether they had already split.

Pearce remained in custody Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 (ET), as authorities processed multiple felony charges connected to the encounter.

What happened Saturday night in Florida

Police were called to an incident in the Miami-area city of Doral involving a man and a woman identified as Rickea Jackson, a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks. Authorities said Pearce fled, triggering a chase that ended when his vehicle crashed. Jail records list Pearce as booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Publicly available booking information and coverage of the arrest describe a mix of charges that include two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, and fleeing or eluding law enforcement. Some reports also reference resisting an officer and an allegation involving a law-enforcement officer during the pursuit. Exact counts and titles can vary slightly by how records are displayed and updated; the court docket will be the clearest source as the case moves forward.

Charges and the immediate legal next steps

Pearce’s case now turns on standard early milestones: bond decisions, initial court appearances, and any conditions of release if granted. The timeline can move quickly in the first 48–72 hours after an arrest, but it is also common for details to firm up only once formal filings are made and attorneys appear on the record.

A few points that matter for understanding what comes next:

• Bond status: As of Sunday, a bond amount was not consistently listed across public summaries, and updates may come with the first appearance.

• Evidence trail: Vehicle-related cases often generate extensive documentation, including dispatch logs, body-camera footage, traffic camera imagery, crash reports, and witness statements.

• No public medical update: Jackson’s condition has not been publicly detailed in a comprehensive official statement, and it remains unclear what injuries, if any, were documented.

Falcons response and what the NFL could do

The Falcons issued a brief statement acknowledging the incident and saying the team was gathering information while declining further comment due to the legal matter being active.

From an NFL standpoint, league discipline is not automatic on day one, but the league typically monitors developments closely in serious cases. Possible outcomes—without predicting any—can range from no immediate action, to placement on a reserve list, to discipline under the personal conduct policy depending on findings and legal outcomes. Team decisions (such as game status, facilities access, or administrative leave) can also evolve quickly as more information becomes available.

Who is Rickea Jackson

Jackson, 24, is a prominent WNBA forward who entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft and plays for the Los Angeles Sparks. She is also a former Tennessee standout, and her profile has risen steadily as she has become a central part of the Sparks’ young core.

This week’s attention is not tied to on-court performance, but her visibility as a pro athlete has made the case a major sports story across multiple leagues.

Rickea Jackson boyfriend: are they together?

The short answer is: their current relationship status is not publicly confirmed, but multiple accounts describe Jackson as Pearce’s ex-girlfriend at the time of the incident.

Pearce and Jackson previously appeared publicly as a couple during the 2025 NFL Draft period, and their relationship was widely recognized then. Several recent summaries state they split in September 2025, though neither has offered a detailed, on-the-record timeline in the immediate aftermath of this arrest.

At this stage, the most accurate framing is that they were previously romantically linked, and recent descriptions of the incident refer to Jackson as an ex.

What’s clear and what remains unclear

• Clear: Pearce was arrested Feb. 7, 2026 (ET) after an incident involving Jackson, and the arrest followed a pursuit and crash.

• Clear: Multiple serious charges have been listed in booking records and early case summaries.

• Unclear: The full set of allegations as laid out in formal filings, including the sequence of events and what evidence supports each charge.

• Unclear: Jackson’s detailed account (if any) and whether either party will make a public statement soon.

Sources consulted: Associated Press, Reuters, NFL.com, People