ICE officer heard on body camera saying he hit Houston man with car

District attorney disputes ICE account that man ran in front of vehicle

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Mario Alberto Morales is heard saying “Like, I was coming in, and I hit him with the car” on body camera footage from the incident in which he allegedly drove into Houston man Miguel Parra-Hernandez.

Video from the incident shows Parra-Hernandez groaning in pain afterward. He sustained multiple injuries to his legs, one of which was broken.

The footage emerged Friday as officials said a Texas grand jury indicted Morales, 33, on felony charges for allegedly striking Parra-Hernandez with a vehicle. Morales was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly driving into Parra-Hernandez, 48, in Houston on Oct. 10.

Prosecutors said Morales pursued Parra-Hernandez with a Jeep Grand Cherokee while agents were seeking a different man.

A spokesperson for ICE told CBS News that Parra-Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare on Friday disputed that version of events. “Morales aggressively steered his vehicle into Parra-Hernandez,” Teare told reporters.

Teare said ICE agents were seeking a different man when they engaged in a pursuit of Parra-Hernandez. “The evidence that we have in this case is as clear as any that I’ve ever prosecuted or investigated,” Teare told reporters.

“An ICE badge does not give you free rein to injure, kill, or violate the constitutional rights of anyone,” Teare said.

Prosecutors said Parra-Hernandez is a Mexican national with no criminal record and did not have an active deportation order.