An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has been indicted for allegedly using his unmarked SUV to run over a migrant construction worker in Houston, Texas, on October 10. The worker, Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, survived the incident but sustained serious injuries.
Mario Alberto Morales, 33, turned himself in on Monday following the grand jury indictment for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced the indictment, presenting surveillance video that he claims contradicts ICE's assertion that Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle. "The evidence we have in this case is as clear as any that I've ever prosecuted or investigated," Teare stated.
Parra Hernandez, who has lived in Harris County for over 30 years, reportedly fled when he believed he was being stopped by law enforcement and saw the individual putting on a mask. He suffered a fractured leg, nerve damage, and chronic pain, according to his attorney. Parra Hernandez told deputies that Morales "threw the car at me."
Morales' attorneys, Michael Wynne and David Lindenmuth, argue the incident was an "accident" and have accused the district attorney of a "political smear campaign" timed for the midterm elections, as Friday was the last day of early voting. "Officer Morales is an Army veteran. He was sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States," Wynne said. Lindenmuth told ABC 13 that officials "invented a crime out of thin air."
Morales told deputies he did not intentionally hit Parra Hernandez, stating he did not brake because he was trying to avoid another truck in the parking lot. Body camera footage played by Teare showed Morales making sharp turns before the SUV shook, and Morales later saying, "I was coming in and I hit him with the car." In a 911 audio recording, Morales can be heard telling the operator that Parra Hernandez "is fine. He's just complaining of pain."
ICE initially stated that Parra Hernandez was seen entering a vehicle with Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, who was reportedly the target of the operation. However, Parra Hernandez's family stated they do not know Mendoza-Cervantes, and his family told an immigrant rights group that he died in 2017. Teare's office stated their investigation has not found evidence that Parra Hernandez and Mendoza-Cervantes were together. ICE has not commented on the claims about Mendoza-Cervantes being deceased. Morales had worked as an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer for just over a year.