Houston jury indicts ICE officer in fatal car accident
A grand jury charged Officer Mario Alberto Morales with aggravated assault after his vehicle struck a 48-year-old man during a pursuit in October.
By Samira Khalil ·
Miguel Parra Hernández, a 48-year-old resident of Houston, faces new legal consequences for the injuries he sustained on October 10 when struck by a federal vehicle. A grand jury in Harris County has indicted the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer involved in the crash, charging him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The decision marks a formal step in the criminal process against the agent, who was driving an unmarked Jeep Grand Cherokee at the time of the incident.
The indictment alleges that Officer Mario Alberto Morales intentionally ran over Parra Hernández during a pursuit in the northwest part of Harris County. District Attorney Sean Teare stated that the evidence supporting the charge is so clear that he has never seen a similar case. Teare noted that while undocumented immigrants with criminal histories should be deported, a police badge does not grant the right to violate a person's constitutional rights. He added that federal agents must receive proper training and background checks before joining the force, calling for an end to the practice of frightening the public.
Sheriff Ed González of Harris County confirmed that his office received a request for assistance on the day of the accident. The request concerned a traffic incident where a victim sustained serious injuries. González emphasized that the events warrant an impartial investigation and that no badge places an officer above the law or excuses them from answering for their actions. The sheriff’s comment reinforced the local authority’s position that federal agents are subject to legal scrutiny in the county.
The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. on October 10 near Highway 6 and Clay Road. Federal agents were pursuing a vehicle carrying two immigrants, seemingly in search of a different individual. Parra Hernández and another man were in the vehicle. When they fled on foot, Morales struck Parra Hernández in the parking lot of a shopping center. The vehicle ran over Parra Hernández, causing a fracture in one leg, according to the charging document. ICE previously stated that Parra Hernández ran in front of the vehicle and was not the initial target of the intervention.
Parra Hernández suffered injuries to his hips, legs, and ankles, according to family members. His attorney, Kim Bruno, told media outlets that Parra Hernández has lived in the United States for 34 years and has no criminal record. Following the incident, the Department of Homeland Security placed Morales on administrative leave while the Department of Justice conducted its investigation. The grand jury’s decision now moves the case into the criminal justice system in Texas, where an intentional impact of this nature constitutes aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Investigators from the Harris County District Attorney’s office collected video footage from the scene shortly after the crash. Teare told NBC News and Telemundo Houston that the videos showed the impact was intentional. The prosecution argued that the evidence supported the claim that the officer deliberately struck Parra Hernández. The grand jury agreed with that assessment, resulting in the formal charges against Morales. The case now proceeds to the next stage of the legal process in Harris County.
Source: WSCV
