ICE Agent Accused of Deliberately Hitting Pedestrian Turned Himself In
Mario Alberto Morales, who has held his post for just over a year, was released on bail after being charged with aggravated assault.
By Ivan Dvorak ·
ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales surrendered to authorities on Monday following a formal indictment for the fatal-looking collision that occurred in October. The 33-year-old officer, who has served in his current capacity for just over a year, faces a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Following a hearing before District Judge Matthew Peneguy in Harris County, Texas, Morales was released after posting a $30,000 bail bond. The incident, which took place on October 10, has placed the agency's rapid hiring practices under intense scrutiny. Video footage from local businesses and bystanders shows Morales pursuing Miguel Parra Hernandez, who fled a stopped pickup truck. During the chase, Morales executed a sharp left turn in front of a stationary vehicle, striking Parra.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare stated that investigators concluded Morales intentionally ran over Parra to stop him. Teare noted that if the incident had occurred with a county agency, all involved officers would have been removed from street duty for full academy retraining. The DA's office revealed that Morales had two handcuffed detainees in the back of his vehicle without seatbelts at the time of the crash. Teare argued this highlights issues with agency tactics and selection processes.
ICE hired Morales in August 2025. His attorney, David Lindenmuth, described the collision as an accidental reaction to avoid hitting a vehicle ahead. Lindenmuth criticized Teare for trying to destroy his client's reputation, calling the DA's stance a political attack. In response to the charges, an ICE spokesperson sent an email stating that claims of intentional impact were "TEMERARIAS and FALSAS," emphasizing that agents are held to high standards of professionalism and integrity.
Morales's background includes work as a security guard at the Port Isabel Detention Center and as a prison guard in Cameron County. He also served two years as a military police officer, a role he left in 2014 with the rank of first-class private. Later, he worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for seven months before resigning in 2018 during a probationary period due to falsified security logs. A spokesperson for the TDCJ confirmed he documented rounds that were never actually performed.
Lindenmuth, who noted Morales is an ordained pastor, stated his client is a good man of faith. Teare remarked that he has not found a single agency that has hired Morales in the past. Morales is the first ICE agent formally charged in Texas. In May, officials in Minnesota charged agent Christian Castro over a shooting, and in September, Castro faced federal charges for making false statements to investigators.
Parra Hernandez is currently recovering from multiple injuries under the supervision of ICE agents. The agency announced at the start of this month that it would retrain thousands of agents who received accelerated training due to sudden hiring increases. DHS officials previously told NBC News that some new recruits did not meet standard hiring criteria, including physical or academic requirements, though most were former law enforcement officers.
