A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Houston has been indicted on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly striking a Mexican construction worker with his vehicle during a pursuit last October. The Harris County grand jury’s decision was announced Friday by District Attorney Sean Teare.
Mario Alberto Morales, 33, an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer, was driving an unmarked SUV on the morning of October 10 when he struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, who was fleeing on foot through a parking lot. Parra Hernandez sustained a broken leg and remains in federal custody at a rehabilitation facility, Teare said. Surveillance footage, along with Morales’ body camera video, reportedly contradict ICE’s account that Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle.
Teare presented the evidence at a news conference, emphasizing the clarity of the video, which shows the SUV speeding over a median and moving toward Parra Hernandez as he ran. Morales is recorded admitting to hitting the man with his vehicle. “The evidence we have in this case is as clear as any that I’ve ever prosecuted or investigated,” Teare stated. Parra Hernandez has lived in Harris County for more than 30 years and reportedly had no deportation order or criminal history.
In response to the indictment, ICE denied the allegation that its officer intentionally struck Parra Hernandez, calling the claim “reckless and false.” The agency also disputed local authorities’ jurisdiction over the case, stating that local officials do not have the authority to investigate federal officers acting in the line of duty.
Morales’ attorney, David Lindenmuth, contested the charges, describing his client as a former military serviceman and a dedicated public servant who did not commit a crime. Lindenmuth accused Teare of pursuing the indictment for political reasons and characterized the incident as a tragic accident.
The case has drawn further scrutiny after questions arose about ICE’s initial statements. The agency had identified another man, Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, as the target of the operation and claimed he was seen entering a vehicle with Parra Hernandez. However, family members of Parra Hernandez disputed this, and immigrant rights group FIEL reported that Mendoza-Cervantes’ daughter confirmed he died in 2017. Investigators have found no evidence that Parra Hernandez and Mendoza-Cervantes were together during the incident.
District Attorney Teare has criticized the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, for a lack of cooperation in the investigation and accused the agency of destroying evidence, either intentionally or due to negligence. He also noted Morales left the scene before authorities could impound the vehicle.
The indictment adds to ongoing scrutiny of ICE officer conduct in Houston. In July, Teare’s office publicized the shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, by an ICE officer, a case that is also under investigation and where conflicting accounts remain unresolved.