The Harris County District Attorney's Office confirmed the charge of aggravated assault in the second degree with a deadly weapon against Agent Mario Alberto Morales, who struck the foreign citizen during a public pursuit.
The incident occurred on October 10 when Morales was driving a black vehicle without police markings. According to the prosecutor's investigation, the agent accelerated and hit Miguel Parra Hernández, 48, as he was running to escape the operation. As a result of the collision, the victim suffered a broken leg and was subsequently taken into custody by authorities. Parra Hernández had been living in the U.S. without legal authorization for over 30 years, as noted by the community organization FIEL, which is assisting his family.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, a Democrat, released various audiovisual evidence that directly contradicts the initial explanations provided by the state security agency. While surveillance camera footage shows a Jeep Cherokee mounting a divider and driving directly toward the worker as he attempted to flee on foot, recordings from Officer Morales's body camera reveal the agent at the wheel explicitly discussing the pursuit.
In light of the compelling evidence presented by the prosecution, the federal agency ICE initially claimed that Parra Hernández voluntarily placed himself in front of the vehicle. The agency labeled the accusations against the officer as false and "reckless," describing the filing of criminal charges as "a political maneuver," arguing that local authorities lack jurisdiction to investigate federal agents in the performance of their duties.
Despite the immigration agency's claims, Prosecutor Teare confirmed that a formal arrest warrant will be issued against Morales, who was not in police custody on Friday. The prosecution declined to provide details about the suspect's address or the identity of his legal representative, although it confirmed prior contacts with the agent's defense.
The prosecution of federal officers for actions on the ground is an unusual occurrence during the immigration control operations initiated by the administration of President Donald Trump. The prosecution led by Teare is also conducting another judicial investigation into the shooting death of a Mexican worker that occurred last July, an incident that sparked large protests in Houston, the fourth most populous city in the United States.