Cain Velasquez was denied bail at a court appearance Monday in California after a Santa Clara County judge deemed the risk would be “too great” to release the former UFC heavyweight champion.
Velasquez will remain in jail as he faces attempted murder charges after allegedly firing multiple rounds from a registered firearm into a vehicle containing a man accused of molesting a four-year-old relative of Velasquez.
The 39-year-old is charged with attempted murder, shooting at a motor vehicle or aircraft, assault with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon, willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.
Velasquez has been in police custody for the past week since being arrested following an 11-mile, high-speed chase that took place in the San Jose area.
In the days following his arrest, several dramatic contextual details emerged regarding the circumstances that led to the alleged shooting and the preceding sequence of events.
The judge on Monday commented on some of the allegations.
“It is clear to this court that there is clear and convincing evidence that there is a substantial likelihood that release would result in great bodily injury, not just to the named complaining witnesses in this case but to Santa Clara residents at large,” Judge Shelyna Brown explained in the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice, according to MMAFighting’s Damon Martin. “This case involves allegations of extreme recklessness to human life. Ramming a vehicle in the middle of the day where our citizens are out driving, going about their business and shooting out of a car at other individuals, which is reckless by any standard. Anyone could have been injured.”
One man sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the alleged attack but it was not Velaquez’s intended target, 43-year-old Harry Goularte, who was recently charged with molesting Velasquez’s young relative but who was granted bail in late February.
Velaquez’s attorney, prominent celebrity defence lawyer Mark Geragos, spoke with media following Monday’s ruling.
Many of the most notable fighters and figures from the mixed martial arts community have publicly voiced their support for Velasquez despite his pending charges, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Israel Adesanya, Colby Covington, Ronda Rousey and Joe Rogan among others.
Velasquez’s next court appearance has been scheduled for April 12. He faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted.
