Harris County DA indicts ICE agent in Houston vehicle collision

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced on Friday that a grand jury has indicted Mario Alberto Morales, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. The charge is second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Teare made the announcement alongside Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. The indictment concerns an incident that occurred on October 10, when Morales allegedly struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez with his vehicle, breaking the immigrant's leg and ankle.

An ICE spokesperson initially stated that Parra-Hernandez ran in front of the agent's vehicle during an attempted arrest of a different man. The agency also claimed Parra-Hernandez was fleeing the scene after an attempted traffic stop. Parra-Hernandez's attorney and immigrant rights advocacy groups have disputed that account. Surveillance video from the scene shows the agent driving toward Parra-Hernandez as the man ran away from the car and into a parking lot.

Teare said the prosecution aims to send a message to federal officers. "An ICE badge does not give you a free reign to injure, kill, or violate the constitutional rights of anyone," Teare said. He added that he hopes the case provides justice for the Parra-Hernandez family and tells officers they do not have a free pass to terrorize the streets.

Morales has not yet been taken into custody. Teare said his office is in contact with Morales' lawyer, though it is unclear if the agent is still in the Houston area. Houston Public Media was unable to reach Morales directly. The indictment was issued 20 days after the collision.

In a statement to Houston Public Media, an ICE spokesperson called the indictment a "political stunt by Houston sanctuary politicians." The spokesperson asserted that federal officers acting in the course of their duties can only be investigated by other federal agencies. Teare responded that the claim his office cannot investigate is "patently false."

Teare said his office is also investigating the early July shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by an ICE agent. During a appearance on Hello Houston, Teare described the investigation as reaching a "tipping point." He noted that body cameras were used in the current case, a difference from the Salgado Araujo incident that allowed for a faster timeline.

At the press conference, Teare played portions of a 911 call from the day of the incident. On the recording, Morales states that Parra-Hernandez is "fine" and that he was trying to get around him. Indictments of federal law enforcement officers are rare and have previously led to legal disputes between states and the federal government regarding officer immunity.