Editor’s Note: This story contains details that may be troubling to some readers.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Kane Velazquez was formally charged Wednesday with attempted premeditated murder and numerous counts of assault with a gun in connection with Monday night’s shooting in San Jose, California, according to the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office.
Velázquez, 39, is accused of assaulting Harry Eugene Goularte, who is accused of allegedly harassing one of Velázquez’s young relatives. Velázquez faces 10 charges, which could carry more than 20 years in prison if convicted, according to a court document.
According to the district attorney’s office, Velázquez followed Goularte’s truck in his own vehicle during an 11-mile high-speed chase through San Jose, crashed into the truck and then fired several shots at a truck carrying a .40-caliber pistol. Gularte and two older relatives. Gularte’s 63-year-old stepfather, Paul Bender, was hit once in the arm and torso, but is expected to survive, court documents say.
“The sad tragedy is that Mr Velázquez chose to take the law into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck,” said Jeff Rosen, Santa Clara County Attorney. “This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family.
Velázquez was later found and arrested during a traffic stop, according to court documents. He is accused of attempted murder; shooting at a busy motor vehicle or aircraft; three charges of assault with a firearm, three charges of assault with a deadly weapon; deliberate firing of a firearm from a vehicle; and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a serious crime.
Velázquez’s scheduled indictment lasted until Monday morning, when there will also be a bail hearing. He was detained without bail in the main northern prison in Santa Clara County.
According to court documents, Goularte, who was not injured in the accident, is accused of lewd or lustful treatment of a child under 14 years of age.
Gularte was released on February 25 without bail against DA orders, according to a statement from the DA office. He was ordered to remain under house arrest, to stand 100 yards from each child under the age of 14 and to wear an electronic surveillance bracelet, which he allegedly was about to receive when Velazquez persecuted him.
The 10-year-old told a Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office official on February 24 that Gularte took him to the day center bathroom and touched his genitals, according to a court document obtained from ESPN. The child said that Gularte had told him not to tell anyone what had happened and that it had happened “100 times”. In the court document, the child said that he witnessed other children also entering the bathroom with Gularte.
Gulart denied any wrongdoing, saying he once helped a child with his pants when he saw the child was not wearing them properly. Gularte lives in the same building as the kindergarten, which is owned by his mother, according to the court document. Gularte’s mother told police she did not believe the accusations against her son.
Velazquez is a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion and is considered one of the best heavyweight fighters of all time. He retired from MMA in 2019 and had a brief stint at WWE before being released at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Velazquez is a trainer at his long gym at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose.