DORAL, Fla. — The Doral Police Department has released body camera video from the February arrest of Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr.
Police say Pearce, 22, repeatedly resisted their orders before taking off, allegedly leading officers on a chase that ended when he crashed his vehicle.
Pearce was arrested in February following a domestic dispute with WNBA star Rickea Jackson, according to authorities.
He was charged with three felonies -- aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence. A fourth charge of stalking was brought as a misdemeanor and an additional charge of aggravated battery of an officer was dropped.
According to Doral police, Jackson told authorities she attempted to drive away from Pearce on Feb. 7, and was driving toward the Doral police station to seek help when Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle with his SUV” before police arrived.
Pearce allegedly refused an initial order from police to “get on the floor,” according to details of the arrest in an affidavit. The police report said Pearce then drove away and hit a police officer’s left knee with his vehicle “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.”
According to police, Pearce wrecked his vehicle and then ran off before being apprehended following a “short struggle.”
Jackson, 24, is two years into her WNBA career. She has said she and Pearce began dating when they were at the University of Tennessee together.
Pearce was the No. 26 pick in the NFL draft last year. He had 10 1/2 sacks and his 45 quarterback pressures set a Falcons rookie record.
Pearce has since agreed to enter a six-month intervention program to avoid taking the case to trial.
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