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ICE agent indicted over vehicle strike that injured man in Houston
A Harris County grand jury indicted ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales on Friday on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Prosecutors say Morales drove an unmarked SUV into Miguel Parra Hernandez as the 48-year-old Mexican construction worker ran from a traffic stop in Houston on Oct.
10.
Parra Hernandez suffered leg and hip injuries and was taken for rehabilitation.
ICE has said he stepped in front of the vehicle and called claims that Morales intentionally hit him false; prosecutors say surveillance footage contradicts ICE’s account.
The case puts scrutiny on ICE’s conduct during the immigration crackdown, as officials say fear of deportation is stopping some residents from reporting crimes.
The Harris County district attorney’s office is also investigating a separate fatal ICE shooting in Houston in July, but no timetable has been given for that investigation.
A Texas grand jury indicted ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over a vehicle strike in Houston.
Prosecutors say Morales struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old Mexican construction worker, while he was running from agents on October 10.
Parra Hernandez suffered multiple fractures to his leg and other injuries, and required surgery.
ICE has said Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle and called allegations of an intentional strike “reckless and false.”
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare says surveillance footage contradicts ICE’s account, though another vehicle obscures the moment of impact.
- Who
- ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales was indicted in connection with injuries to Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old construction worker.
- What
- A grand jury charged Morales with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over a vehicle strike.
- When
- The strike occurred on October 10; the indictment was returned on Friday, October 30, 2026.
- Where
- A car park in Houston, near Clay Road and Highway 6.
- Why
- Prosecutors allege Morales deliberately struck Parra Hernandez as he ran from federal agents. ICE says Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle.
ICE
Harris County prosecutors
Account of the strike
ICE
ICE says Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle and calls claims that Morales intentionally struck him “reckless and false.
Harris County prosecutors
Prosecutors say Morales deliberately struck Parra Hernandez while he was running away; Teare says surveillance video contradicts ICE’s account.
An unmarked vehicle struck Parra Hernandez as he was running from federal agents in Houston.
A search warrant cited by local media showed investigators had not been granted access to the Jeep as of this date.
A Texas grand jury indicted Morales on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
- Officer
- Mario Alberto Morales, 33, an ICE agent
- Injured man
- Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, a Mexican construction worker
- Charge
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Incident date
- October 10, 2026
- Location
- Near Clay Road and Highway 6 in Houston
- Injuries
- Multiple fractures to the right leg and an ankle injury requiring surgery
4 sources
What people are saying
Their behavior and the fear that’s being instilled in such a big, vibrant group of people, of Harris county residents, is objectively making us all less safe
I know of no law enforcement agency that would deem that to be acceptable