Saying she fears for her life, Sparks forward Rickea Jackson has filed a protection petition against her ex-boyfriend, Atlanta Falcons running back James Pearce Jr.
Miami-Dade County (Florida) Judge Heloiza Correa granted Jackson's initial request for protection on February 9, and a permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for April 21. Pearce is ordered not to have contact with Jackson or come within 500 feet of his home or workplace.
“James has threatened to kill me, James has threatened to hurt me, James has threatened to hurt me, James has threatened to put a bag over my head, and James has verbally and physically abused me on more than one occasion,” Jackson wrote in his statement to the court.
Jackson, 24, also filed notice with the court that she is willing to testify against Pearce. Her original petition for a dating violence protective order (essentially a restraining order) was filed two days after Pearce's arrest on February 7 for allegedly crashing his Lamborghini SUV into her car more than once, and doing the same to a police car in Doral, Florida.
Pearce, 22, faces felony charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, aggravated assault and fleeing a police officer. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer and nine traffic violations.
“Mr. Pearce maintains his innocence and urges the public to understand that while the allegations have the power to shape a narrative, they are not the whole story,” Pearce's attorney, Jacob Nunez, told the AP shortly after the arrest. “We look forward to vigorously defending our client.”
In a court filing, Jackson said she broke up with Pearce weeks before the incident that led to his arrest. She said Pearce offered her $200,000 to stay in a relationship with him and that his behavior towards her became increasingly alarming. According to ESPN, at least seven other 911 calls to police in the months leading up to the Feb. 7 incident reported that Pearce was stalking or harassing an unnamed girlfriend.
A police report says the relationship between Jackson and Pearce began three years ago when they were both star athletes at Tennessee.
Pearce was selected by the Falcons in the first round of the 2025 draft with a pick acquired from the Rams. The 6-foot-5, 243-pound running back finished third for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 10.5 sacks.
Jackson was a first-round pick of the Sparks in 2024. The 6-2 forward emerged as a star in her second season, earning MVP votes after averaging 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
“She's a fluid person, a great athlete and a great basketball player,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said in 2025. “She makes hard things look really easy…she makes things look easy, and I know they're not.”
The relationship between Jackson and Pearce became volatile in January when the Falcons star admitted in a police report obtained by ESPN that he thought Jackson was cheating on him.
The Feb. 7 incident was described in Jackson's court file and in a police report. Jackson was trying to get away from Pearce, who followed her in his car, tried to open her car door at a stop and crashed into her car more than once while trying to enter the Doral Police Department parking lot “because I knew James was going to hurt me,” Jackson said.
An officer pointed a gun at Pearce and ordered him to get on the ground. However, Pearce got back into his car. The officer tried to open the door, but Pearce closed it and drove away, his car striking an officer's left knee.
Police gave chase and Pearce crashed at an intersection before fleeing on foot. Officers said they caught up with him and he resisted arrest. He was released after posting bail of $20,500.
