Velasquez denied bail, next court date set for April
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was denied bail Monday in Santa Clara County, according to MMA Fighting's Damon Martin.
Velasquez was charged with attempted premeditated murder and multiple gun assault charges last week stemming from a Feb. 28 shooting in San Jose.
The 39-year-old is accused of targeting Harry Goularte, who authorities say molested one of Velasquez's young relatives. Prosecutors said that after a high-speed chase, Velasquez fired a handgun multiple times into a vehicle carrying Goularte and two of his relatives. Velasquez shot Goularte's stepfather, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Judge Shelyna Brown said the risk of releasing Velasquez from custody is "too great" due to his "reckless" actions, according to Martin.
Brown added there is a "substantial likelihood" that Velasquez's release "would result in great bodily injury, not just to the named complaining witnesses in this case but to Santa Clara residents at large."
The next court date is set for April 12.
Velasquez, one of the most accomplished heavyweights in UFC history, retired from the sport in 2019.