Velasquez Describes Day He Chased Alleged Child Molester

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has given his most detailed account yet of the February 2022 high-speed chase that led to his attempted murder conviction, describing a moment when his four-year-old son disclosed abuse at daycare that set him on a path toward violence.

In an interview on the Shawn Ryan Show, Velasquez recalled the night his son revealed he had been molested at a San Jose daycare facility. After filing a police report, he learned that Harry Goularte, the son of the daycare operators, had been arrested and released the same week without an ankle monitor. When the daycare owners sent an email to parents denying the allegations and announcing they would reopen, Velasquez said his faith in the justice system collapsed.

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The Chase That Ended Velasquez's Career

On Feb. 28, 2022, after taking his son to the zoo, Velasquez spotted Goularte's family in traffic. He described a moment of spiritual reckoning before deciding to act. Velasquez fired multiple rounds during an 11-mile pursuit, striking Goularte's stepfather in the arm but missing his primary target. He emptied two magazines at the vehicle, which was later photographed riddled with bullet holes at the crime scene.

The 44-year-old pleaded no contest to attempted murder in August 2024 and served nine months in solitary confinement before securing parole in February 2026. Velasquez told Ryan he viewed the isolation as necessary, saying it forced him to confront himself stripped of all external identity. He acknowledged innocent bystanders could have been hurt during the chase but said he was operating outside normal consciousness at the time.

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The status of Goularte's child molestation case remains unclear. Velasquez, who held the UFC heavyweight title twice during his career, is now on parole after serving time in custody and under house arrest.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Cain Velasquez describes day he tried to shoot man who allegedly molested his son: ‘I f*cking lost a will to live’