ICE officer who struck man with vehicle indicted for aggravated assault - USA Today
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer has been indicted by a Texas grand jury after striking a man with his vehicle in Houston earlier this month, prosecutors said.
Officer Mario Alberto Morales was driving a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Oct. 10 at about 7:30 a.m. when he initiated a stop on a vehicle driven by Miguel Parra-Hernandez, a Mexican national who has been living in the United States for 30 years, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said at a news conference on Oct. 30.
Parra-Hernandez and another occupant fled on foot, and video footage showed Morales striking Parra-Hernandez with his vehicle, Teare said.
"As you can clearly see Morales aggressively steered his vehicle into Parra-Hernandez. Not only did he hit Mr. Hernandez, he ran over both of his legs, leaving him seriously injured and hospitalized to this day," Teare said.
Morales was indicted on a count of second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Teare said. He could face between 2 and 20 years in prison if convicted.
In a statement to USA TODAY, a spokesperson for ICE called the indictment a "political stunt," and said local government doesn't have the authority to investigate the case.
βAllegations that ICE struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez intentionally are RECKLESS and FALSE. The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct," the spokesperson said.
