Houston ICE Agent Surrenders After Fatal Ramming

A federal immigration officer turned himself in on Monday after being charged with ramming a man in Houston.

Mario Alberto Morales, 33, appeared in court to answer a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A grand jury issued the indictment on Friday. The incident occurred on Oct. 10. Morales drove an unmarked SUV through a parking lot and struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old construction worker.

Judge Matthew Peneguy set bail at $30,000 during the hearing. Prosecutors had requested a bond of $75,000, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Morales had served as an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer for just over a year. He also ran for Congress earlier this year and previously served in the Army.

ICE maintains that Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle. Prosecutors state that video evidence contradicts this claim. Surveillance footage shows Morales driving over a median and hitting the worker as he fled. David Lindenmuth, Morales’ attorney, said his client is “truly a good man” and did not commit a crime.

Parra Hernandez is recovering from a broken leg at a rehabilitation facility. He remains in federal custody, said District Attorney Sean Teare. Morales is one of a small number of federal officers to face criminal charges during the current administration’s immigration enforcement push.