Harris County Grand Jury Indicts ICE Agent for Hitting Mexican Immigrant
Prosecutors say surveillance video shows the Jeep Cherokee accelerated toward Miguel Parra Hernández before impact, contradicting the agency's initial account.
By Julian Kobayashi ·
A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, returned a criminal indictment against Mario Alberto Morales, a 33-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, on October 30. The 48-year-old victim, Miguel Parra Hernández, is facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for injuries sustained during a federal operation earlier this month.
The incident began on October 10 near Clay Road and Highway 6 in northwest Houston. Federal agents were pursuing a vehicle they said was carrying José Mendoza-Cervantes. During the chase, Morales drove his Jeep Cherokee into Parra, who was running across a parking lot.
Prosecutors argue the collision was not accidental. They cited surveillance footage reviewed by investigators, which shows the vehicle accelerating and turning directly toward Parra before the crash. District Attorney Sean Teare challenged the agency's initial report, stating the images suggest a possible intentional impact.
ICE maintained a different narrative from the start. The agency claimed Parra ran in front of an official vehicle and was struck. Officials stated that federal agents removed the involved Jeep Cherokee before local authorities could secure it. Although a judge later authorized a review, investigators reported they did not gain access to the vehicle until October 23.
The indictment marks a formal step in the local criminal process. Morales now faces trial in Harris County. The case centers on the discrepancy between the federal agency's timeline and the physical evidence gathered by local prosecutors.
Source: La Opinión
