ICE officer indicted on felony assault charge over Houston car pursuit

A federal immigration officer was indicted by a grand jury on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon following an October incident in Houston. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced the charge during a Friday news conference, stating that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Mario Alberto Morales intentionally struck a pedestrian with an unmarked vehicle during a vehicle pursuit.

The victim was identified as Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old construction worker who has lived in Texas for more than three decades. Teare said Parra Hernandez suffered a broken leg and a hip injury when the agent's Jeep Grand Cherokee ran over him in a parking lot after he and another person fled from a vehicle on foot.

Prosecutors shared surveillance video and body camera footage from the officer during the announcement to show the moments of impact. The footage depicts the black SUV driven by Morales pursuing the pedestrian before swerving toward him at the moment he was run over.

The evidence gathered in this case is as clear as any that his office has investigated or prosecuted, Teare told reporters. He criticized the tactics used by immigration enforcement officers and said the actions make local residents less safe by instilling fear in immigrant communities.

Defense attorney David Lindenmuth rejected the allegations against his client and accused the district attorney of pursuing an indictment for political gain. Lindenmuth said that Morales did not commit a crime and described the collision as an accident.

Morales, who is 33 years old, has worked as an ICE enforcement and removal operations officer for slightly more than a year. Lindenmuth said that Morales is a former military member who dedicated his life to public service before joining law enforcement.

Parra Hernandez remains in federal custody at a rehabilitation facility while he continues recovering from his injuries. If convicted of the felony charge, Morales faces a prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.