ICE officer who struck man with vehicle during pursuit in Texas indicted: DA
Mario Alberto Morales was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
A Texas grand jury indicted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of intentionally striking an individual with his vehicle during a pursuit in Houston earlier this month, officials announced Friday.
The officer, Mario Alberto Morales, has been charged with second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Authorities said the man struck by the vehicle, Miguel Parra Hernandez, suffered significant injuries, including multiple fractures to his right leg.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare alleged that Morales' body-camera footage shows he "aggressively steered his vehicle" into Parra Hernandez.
The district attorney played graphic video from the officer's body-worn camera alongside surveillance footage of the incident during a press briefing on Friday.
The body-camera footage appears to show Morales behind the wheel, pursuing Parra Hernandez and another individual who are fleeing on foot.
"Got a runner, got a runner," the officer can be heard saying. "On foot. Both of them."
Seconds later, the officer appears to turn his steering wheel toward Parra Hernandez, striking him, the video showed.
Morales is then seen approaching Parra Hernandez, who is lying on the ground crying in agony, and moving his leg.
In a 911 call recording played during the press conference, Morales tells the dispatcher that he tried to get around Parra Hernandez, "and he hit my car."
"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.
"I've reviewed hundreds of cases, some very similar to this. The evidence that we have in this case is as clear as any that I've ever prosecuted or investigated," Teare said.
An ICE spokesperson called the indictment "nothing more than a political stunt by Houston Sanctuary politicians."
"Allegations that ICE struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez intentionally are RECKLESS and FALSE," the ICE spokesperson said in a statement. "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. As our brave law enforcement officers arrest and remove dangerous criminal illegal aliens from our communities, America can be proud of the professionalism our officers bring [to] the job day-in and day-out."
In a prior statement, ICE alleged that "Parra-Hernandez ran in front of an ICE vehicle and was struck."
Teare said that on the morning the incident occurred, ICE officers were in pursuit of a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Parra Hernandez. According to ICE, Teare said, they were pursuing a man named Jose Mendoza Cervantes. That man has "apparently" been dead for nine years, the district attorney said.
Teare said that despite his objections, ICE has already deported at least two material witnesses to the case. Investigators were able to meet with one of those witnesses shortly before they were deported, the DA said.
ICE is still actively trying to deport Parra Hernandez, who continues to recover at a rehabilitation facility, according to Teare. A Mexican national, Parra Hernandez is unauthorized, did not have a deportation order and has no criminal record, according to Teare.
"An ICE badge does not give you free rein to injure, kill, or violate the constitutional rights of anyone," Teare said.
A warrant for Morales' arrest will be issued on Friday, according to the district attorney.
Teare said Morales was hired last year as part of a surge of ICE hires. He did not go into detail about Morales' work history but added, "I can unequivocally tell you that I've reviewed thousands of job applications and resumes for law enforcement officers from around the state, and I'm not familiar with a single agency that would have hired this person based on his past."
Morales was placed on administrative leave following the incident, ICE said.
The move is standard for all use-of-force incidents, according to an ICE spokesperson.
"This incident is under active internal investigation," the spokesperson said in a statement on Oct. 16.
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