NFL star crashed Lamborghini into ex’s car as he stalked her, Doral cops say
The Atlanta Falcons’ James Pearce Jr. responded to WNBA star Rickea Jackson breaking up with him by stalking her and crashing his Lamborghini into her car as she tried to escape him, Jackson told Doral police.
That’s according to arrest affidavits released Monday morning, which also say Pearce’s attempt to escape Doral police began with using his car to take out an officer’s knee Saturday morning.
Online court records say Pearce, 22, is facing charges of domestic violence/aggravated battery with a deadly weapon; aggravated battery with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer; and aggravated stalking. Fort Lauderdale’s Jacob Nunez and Joshua Cohen of Nunez & Fleischer and Coral Gables’ Yale Sanford have filed as attorneys representing Pearce.
Pearce was released from Miami-Dade Corrections custody Sunday after posting $15,000 bond, $5,000 on each charge. He’s under a standard stay-away order as regards Jackson, who’s staying in Miami while playing in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league at Medley’s Sephora Arena.
Breakup, blocks number
Jackson and Pearce began dating when they were at the University of Tennessee, from which Pearce was the first-round pick of the Falcons in last April’s NFL Draft. As his professional life lifted off with a strong second half of the season that made him a finalist for the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award, his personal life crashed with the end of his three-year relationship with Jackson.
Jackson told police, according to the arrest affidavits, that she blocked Pearce’s phone number, but he switched phones to keep reaching out to her.
She showed Doral police a Friday afternoon text message that told Pearce “to leave her alone and stated that she wanted nothing to do with him,” the affidavit said. “Despite this message, [Pearce] continued to send [Jackson] numerous text messages through (Saturday) at approximately 9:06 a.m.”
Just after that, Jackson left an apartment to head home. As she was about to turn off Northwest 102nd Avenue and into her neighborhood, Pearce appeared in her rearview mirror at the wheel of a white Lamborghini SUV.
Jackson stayed on Northwest 102nd Avenue and headed north. Pearce followed. She told police while they were stopped at the Northwest 74th Street light, the 6-foot-5, Pearce got out of the car and tried to hop her driver’s side door.
Now in fear, Jackson told police, she jerked into a right turn onto Northwest 74th Street and hit the gas. Pearce got back into his car and, the affidavit said, “continued pursuing the victim at a high rate of speed.”
Jackson wanted to head for the Doral Police Department, 6100 NW 99th Ave., but Pearce “intentionally” rear ended her. The crash didn’t disable Jackson’s car, however, and her serpentine route around the area to avoid Pearce eventually put her one block from the police station, at Northwest 99th Avenue and 62nd Street.
“Once in that area, [Jackson] stated that [Pearce] again cut her off and blocked her access to the police station,” the arrest form said. “[Jackson] attempted to reverse her vehicle to escape, at which time [Pearce] intentionally collided head-on with her vehicle.
“Shortly thereafter, police units arrived on the scene.”
The pursuit of the pursuer
Police say Pearce was standing outside the SUV when they arrived at the intersection, then responded to an officer’s pointed gun and command of “get on the floor!” by getting back into the SUV’s driver’s seat.
When the officer opened the door, Pearce closed it and began driving north on Northwest 99th Avenue. During Pearce’s departure, police say, he “intentionally” hit the officer in the left knee.
Pearce eventually turned east on Northwest 66th Street, south on Northwest 97th Avenue, then west on Northwest 58th Street. At Northwest 58th Street and 102nd Avenue, he sliced to his right, through the El Arepazo Chevron station on the corner and headed north on Northwest 102nd Avenue.
Pearce turned left on Northwest 66th Street and eventually crashed at Northwest 65th Lane and 102nd Path. His SUV done, Pearce started running. Officers eventually caught him about 200 yards away, near Northwest 66th Street and 103rd Passage.
