A Texas grand jury indicted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of deliberately striking an individual with his vehicle throughout a pursuit in Houston earlier this month, officers introduced Friday.
The officer, Mario Alberto Morales, has been charged with second-degree aggravated assault with a lethal weapon, in response to the Harris County District Lawyer’s Workplace.
Authorities stated the person struck by the car, Miguel Parra Hernandez, suffered important accidents, together with a number of fractures to his proper leg.
Regulation enforcement officers are on the scene after a person was struck by a car pushed by an ICE agent throughout chase, in response to the Harris Courty Sheriff’s Workplace, on Oct. 10, 2026, in Harris County, Texas.
KTRK
Harris County District Lawyer Sean Teare alleged that Morales’ body-camera footage reveals he “aggressively steered his car” into Parra Hernandez.
The district legal professional performed graphic video from the officer’s body-worn digital camera alongside surveillance footage of the incident throughout a press briefing on Friday.
The body-camera footage seems to point out Morales behind the wheel, pursuing Parra Hernandez and one other particular person who’re fleeing on foot.
“Acquired a runner, received a runner,” the officer may be heard saying. “On foot. Each of them.”
Seconds later, the officer seems to show his steering wheel towards Parra Hernandez, hanging him, the video confirmed.
Morales is then seen approaching Parra Hernandez, who’s mendacity on the bottom crying in agony, and transferring his leg.
In a 911 name recording performed through the press convention, Morales tells the dispatcher that he tried to get round Parra Hernandez, “and he hit my automobile.”
“As you’ll be able to clearly see, Morales aggressively steered his car into Parra Hernandez. Not solely did he hit Mr. Hernandez, he ran over each of his legs, leaving him significantly injured and hospitalized to today,” Teare stated.
“I’ve reviewed a whole bunch of circumstances, some similar to this. The proof that we’ve on this case is as clear as any that I’ve ever prosecuted or investigated,” Teare stated.
Regulation enforcement officers are on the scene after a person was struck by a car pushed by an ICE agent throughout chase, in response to the Harris Courty Sheriff’s Workplace, on Oct. 10, 2026, in Harris County, Texas.
KTRK
An ICE spokesperson referred to as the indictment “nothing greater than a political stunt by Houston Sanctuary politicians.”
“Allegations that ICE struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez deliberately are RECKLESS and FALSE,” the ICE spokesperson stated in a press release. “The women and men of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of regulation and are held to the best requirements of professionalism, integrity, and moral conduct. As our courageous regulation enforcement officers arrest and take away harmful prison unlawful aliens from our communities, America may be happy with the professionalism our officers carry [to] the job day-in and day-out.“
In a previous assertion, ICE alleged that “Parra-Hernandez ran in entrance of an ICE car and was struck.”
Teare stated that on the morning the incident occurred, ICE officers had been in pursuit of a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pushed by Parra Hernandez. Based on ICE, Teare stated, they had been pursuing a person named Jose Mendoza Cervantes. That man has “apparently” been useless for 9 years, the district legal professional stated.
Teare stated that regardless of his objections, ICE has already deported at the least two materials witnesses to the case. Investigators had been in a position to meet with a kind of witnesses shortly earlier than they had been deported, the DA stated.
ICE remains to be actively making an attempt to deport Parra Hernandez, who continues to get better at a rehabilitation facility, in response to Teare. A Mexican nationwide, Parra Hernandez is unauthorized, didn’t have a deportation order and has no prison file, in response to Teare.
“An ICE badge doesn’t provide you with free rein to injure, kill, or violate the constitutional rights of anybody,” Teare stated.
On this screengrab from a video, a person is proven operating previous to being struck by a car pushed by an ICE agent, in response to the Harris Courty Sheriff’s Workplace, on Oct. 10, 2026, in Harris County, Texas.
A warrant for Morales’ arrest might be issued on Friday, in response to the district legal professional.
Teare stated Morales was employed final 12 months as a part of a surge of ICE hires. He didn’t go into element about Morales’ work historical past however added, “I can unequivocally inform you that I’ve reviewed hundreds of job purposes and resumes for regulation enforcement officers from across the state, and I am not accustomed to a single company that will have employed this particular person primarily based on his previous.”
Morales was placed on administrative leave following the incident, ICE stated.
The transfer is commonplace for all use-of-force incidents, in response to an ICE spokesperson.
“This incident is underneath energetic inner investigation,” the spokesperson stated in a press release on Oct. 16.
