The Canada Brief

World · 5 d ago

Judge's gavel in a courtroom

Texas grand jury indicts ICE officer accused of hitting a man in Houston

A grand jury indicted US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer Mario Alberto Morales on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over an Oct 10 incident, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced Friday.

Clay Road and Highway 6

Houston, Texas

Investigators say a Jeep struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez, 48, in a car park as he ran from federal agents. He suffered multiple leg fractures and an ankle injury that required surgery.

ICE

Man ran in front of vehicle

District attorney

Video contradicts ICE

ICE says the man ran in front of the vehicle and calls the allegation of an intentional strike "reckless and false". Teare says surveillance video contradicts that, and body-camera audio released Friday has Morales acknowledging he struck the man.

What we know

  • A grand jury indicted Morales
  • Parra-Hernandez has no criminal record

Not yet

  • Whether the strike was deliberate
  • Whether investigators can examine the Jeep

Teare accused federal authorities of not cooperating, including by removing the Jeep before local investigators could examine it. Parra-Hernandez, who has lived in Harris County for more than 30 years, has no criminal record, he said.