Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. has been charge with three felonies and a misdemeanor related to an alleged assault against his former partner, WNBA player Rickea Jackson, on February 7.

The Miami-Dade State attorney has charged Pearce with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person. An aggravated stalking charge was downgraded to a misdemeanor offense.

Pearce allegedly followed Jackson's car in his vehicle and eventually rear-ended Jackson's vehicle intentionally. Jackson changed her route to head to a police station at which point Pearce drove past her and collided with her again head-on. As police arrived at the scene, Pearce was outside his car. He refused instructions by the responding officers, jumped back in his car, then hit one of the officers as he fled the scene.  Pearce crashed two blocks down the road as police pursued. He exited his vehicle and fled on foot, but was apprehended.

Jackson filed a restraining order against Pearce, citing verbal and physical abuse, which was granted and remains in place.

The Falcons refused comment after Thursday's formal charges. The team said after the February 7 incident that it would not comment while the legal process unfolds.

My take: Pearce is in trouble. There were plenty of eyewitnesses on. February 7. The one thing he has working in his favor is the NFL is terrible at punishing domestic abusers, should he get through these charges with no prison time.