Mario Alberto Morales, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, turned himself in Monday, according to his attorney. He made his first court appearance on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors say he struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old Mexican construction worker, with an unmarked SUV on Oct. 10 while chasing him through a parking lot in Houston. A grand jury indicted Morales, 33, on Friday.
Judge Matthew Peneguy set bond at $30,000. Prosecutors had asked for $75,000, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office. ICE has said Parra Hernandez ran in front of Morales' vehicle. Prosecutors say surveillance video contradicts that account, showing the vehicle drive over a median and strike Parra Hernandez as he ran away.
Morales' attorney, David Lindenmuth, said his client did not commit a crime and called him "truly a good man." Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said Parra Hernandez broke his leg and is recovering at a rehabilitation facility while in federal custody. Lindenmuth said Morales had worked for ICE for a little more than a year.