Bond set at $30,000 for ICE officer accused of SUV ramming in Houston
Judge Matthew Peneguy reduced the bail requested by prosecutors for Mario Alberto Morales, who appeared in court Monday after a grand jury indicted him on Friday.
By Anthony Foster ·
Mario Alberto Morales appeared in Harris County court on Monday to face a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The 33-year-old U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer surrendered himself following a grand jury indictment issued on Friday.
Prosecutors accuse Morales of intentionally driving an unmarked SUV into Miguel Parra Hernandez on Oct. 10. The collision occurred in a Houston parking lot while Morales chased the 48-year-old construction worker. Parra Hernandez suffered a broken leg in the incident.
Judge Matthew Peneguy set Morales' bond at $30,000 during the hearing. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office had requested a higher bond of $75,000. Morales is one of the few federal officers to face criminal charges related to their duties during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
ICE officials claim Parra Hernandez ran in front of Morales’ vehicle. Prosecutors state that surveillance video contradicts this account. The footage shows Morales’ car crossing a median to strike Parra Hernandez as the man fled.
Parra Hernandez is recovering in a rehabilitation facility while remaining in federal custody, according to District Attorney Sean Teare. David Lindenmuth, Morales’ attorney, described his client as a good man who did not commit a crime.
Lindenmuth noted that Morales worked for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations for slightly more than a year. The officer previously served in the Army and ran unsuccessfully for Congress this year. Court records show Morales had a misdemeanor charge from 2013 for stealing four DVDs, which was dismissed after he paid a $270 fine.
