Former Tennessee Vols EDGE James Pearce was arrested over the weekend and charged with five felonies, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police officers, aggravated stalking, and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer.

He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence to his person.

Pearce, a first round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft, was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Sunday night after posting a $20,500 bond.

The Charlotte native finished third in the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after totaling 10.5 sacks for the Falcons in 2025.

New report from ESPN confirms details of James Pearce’s arrest

ESPN obtained the criminal complaint from Pearce’s arrest, which confirms certain details of went down on Saturday in south Florida.

According to ESPN, Pearce allegedly crashed his white Lamborghini SUV into Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson’s car. ESPN also reported that Pearce allegedly struck a police officer with his vehicle as he was evading arrest.

Jackson, a former Lady Vols star who had been in a longterm relationship with Pearce, told police that when she stopped her car at a red light, Pearce got out of his vehicle and attempted to open her driver’s side door.

“Jackson accelerated away and started driving toward the Doral (Florida) Police Department,” ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported. “Pearce reentered his vehicle and continued following her. During the drive to the police station, Jackson said Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle” with his SUV. As she got to the intersection near the police station, Jackson said Pearce cut her off with his car and when she attempted to back out and get away, he used his car to collide with hers head-on. The affidavit stated that photographs of Jackson’s vehicle showed damage consistent with her account.”

ESPN’s report also confirmed that an officer pulled a gun on Pearce during the arrest.

“According to the affidavit, they saw Pearce standing on the outside of his SUV on the driver’s side with the door open,” Raimondi reported. “An officer pulled a gun on Pearce and ordered him to get on the floor. Pearce got back in his car and closed the door. The officer opened the door, but Pearce shut it again, locked it and drove away.”

As Pearce fled the scene, his vehicle struck an officer in the knee. ESPN’s report states that the affidavit described Pearce striking the officer as “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.”

Police then pursued Pearce until his vehicle crashed at an intersection. At that point, Pearce “began to resist arrest by tensing his arms and not allowing officers to apprehend him.”

Jackson told police that she dated Pearce for “about three years”, but that they recently ended their relationship. The former Lady Vol also told police that she blocked Pearce’s phone number, but he continued to text her from different numbers.

“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami,” the Falcons said in a statement. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”

Tennessee Volunteers News

Beloved former Vol hits new Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles with a tough dose of reality

Jim Knowles was named as the Tennessee Vols’ new defensive coordinator in December.

Zach Ragan