WNBA star Rickea Jackson worried that ex-boyfriend and Falcons first-round pick James Pearce Jr. “will kill me” and was in “fear of my life,” according to court documents seen by ESPN.
Jackson, who plays for the Sparks, filed a petition for protection against Pearce, a pass rusher, who was arrested in February on five felony charges following an alleged domestic dispute with his ex.
The 24-year-old WNBAer initially filed a petition for injunction for protection against dating violence after Jackson’s arrest, in which he crashed his white Lamborghini SUV into Jackson’s car twice, per ESPN.
That has been granted, with a permanent injunction hearing reportedly set for April 21.
Pearce, 22, is not allowed contact with Jackson or to come within 500 feet of her home or place of employment or 100 feet of her car, according to ESPN.
She has reportedly also separately filed a notice to the court that will testify against Pearce.
The pair of former Tennessee stars dated for approximately three years and broke up shortly before the harrowing scene, Jackson told police, according to ESPN.
Jackson reportedly wrote that her fear about her security intensified after their breakup, and he offered her $200,000 to remain together.
Pearce, who tallied 10 ½ sacks this past season, is alleged to have crashed into Jackson’s vehicle multiple times and also hit a police officer with his car while exiting the scene on Feb. 7, per ESPN.
The five felony charges he’s facing reportedly include two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and one count each of aggravated stalking, fleeing and eluding police officers and aggravated battery of a law enforcement.
Jackson, who averaged 14.7 points for the Sparks last year, wrote in the court documents that Pearce “verbally and physically abused me on more than one occasion,” according to ESPN.
She also reportedly noted that he threatened to kill, harm and injure her, while specifically stating he would place a bag over her head.
Jackson wrote that she noticed Pearce following her home that day and instead called police officers and drove to a police station in Doral, Fla. “because I knew James was going to hurt me,” per ESPN.
She alleged that he blocked her car from moving at a traffic light and attempted to enter the vehicle before jumping on top of the car, and later hit her vehicle multiple times and ran her off the road.
Pearce reportedly also received nine traffic citations and a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence to his person.
Jackson wrote in the documents that Pearce believed she had been cheating on him prior to his arrest, and she no longer wanted to date him following a January incident in which she alleges that he pulled her hair and took her possessions, including her cell phone, according to ESPN.
This incident reportedly aligned with a Jan. 28 police report placed in Davie, Fla.
Police spoke with Pearce and he said they did not have a physical altercation at the time, but agreed that he believes she had been cheating on him and said she allowed him to check her phones, per ESPN.
“James did not listen to my request and instead went on a campaign of threats, physical assaults and abuse against me,” she reportedly wrote.
Earlier this week, ESPN reported that police had been called at least seven times regarding Pearce and an unidentified ex-girlfriend going back to November.
Police purportedly told Pearce in January not to return to the ex’s residence.
Pearce remains on the Falcon roster, with the team previously stating it would look into the matter.
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr., in Miami,” the Falcons said in February.
“We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
