The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has formally charged an ICE agent in connection with an incident that occurred in early October. The agent allegedly struck a man with his vehicle, resulting in serious injuries that required surgery.
ICE officer Mario Alberto Morales faces an indictment for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, classified as a second-degree felony under Texas law. This charge carries a potential prison sentence ranging from 2 to 20 years.
Morales, who was among a group of new hires for ICE in August 2025, has not had any training records submitted to the District Attorney’s Office.
During a recent press conference, previously unreleased body camera footage was shown, illustrating the aftermath of the crash involving the victim, Miguel Parra Hernandez. The footage captured Hernandez on the ground, visibly in distress and screaming in pain.
Details surrounding the incident reveal that on October 10, Harris County law enforcement responded to reports of an auto-pedestrian collision occurring around 7:20 a.m. on Clay Road, near Highway 6. ICE agents were reportedly pursuing a white truck containing two men. As the vehicle drove in the wrong direction down Clay Road, it eventually came to a halt.
Both men exited the truck and attempted to flee on foot. One managed to escape heading east, while the other, identified as Miguel Parra Hernandez, was struck by the ICE vehicle.
Hernandez was promptly transported to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery for a broken leg. As of Friday, he remains hospitalized, according to District Attorney Sean Teare.
Following the incident, ICE released a photograph of their initial target, Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, who has been confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security as being unlawfully present in the United States, with four prior arrests noted.
Hernandez’s attorney, Kim Bruno, stated that her client has no knowledge of Mendoza-Cervantes and insisted that the suspect was not in the truck with him at the time of the incident. Compounding the confusion, a report later surfaced indicating that Mendoza-Cervantes had actually passed away nine years ago. His daughter provided documentation showing he died in 2017.
