Texas ICE Officer Indicted After Striking Man With Vehicle During Pursuit

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer faces a felony charge after allegedly striking a man with a vehicle earlier this month in Texas. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced Friday that ICE Officer Mario Alberto Morales was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Incident Details

District Attorney Sean Teare stated that Morales pursued a vehicle driven by Miguel Parra-Hernandez on Oct. 10. During the pursuit, Parra-Hernandez and another person fled the vehicle on foot. Video played at a Friday news conference showed Morales hitting Parra-Hernandez with a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Body camera footage captured Parra-Hernandez groaning in pain on the ground with a broken leg, and the officer wearing the camera can be heard saying he hit the man with the car. Teare reported that Parra-Hernandez is a Mexican national living in Texas for over 30 years without documentation, with no criminal record or deportation order against him.

Official Statements

In an initial statement to CBS News following the event, an ICE spokesperson claimed that Parra-Hernandez ran in front of the ICE vehicle. Teare also noted that ICE agents were allegedly pursuing a man named Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, described by the agency as an undocumented Mexican national, though Teare stated that Mendoza-Cervantes has apparently been dead for nine years. If convicted, Morales faces a prison sentence ranging from two to 20 years.

Context

Law enforcement officers involved in vehicular pursuits or using vehicles during operations are subject to standard criminal investigations and grand jury reviews when excessive force or injury occurs. Independent prosecutors review such cases to determine if criminal charges are warranted regardless of the suspect's immigration status.