Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare announced Wednesday that his office is seeking to interview two detainees who were in the backseat of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle when it struck Miguel Parra Hernandez during a pursuit in Houston last Saturday. The incident left Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old construction worker, with multiple fractures and breaks, according to his attorneys. He remains hospitalized in ICE custody.
Teare stated that videos gathered by his office suggest the vehicle struck Parra Hernandez intentionally, which, if confirmed, would constitute aggravated assault with a deadly weapon under Texas law. The prosecutor also accused ICE of obstructing the investigation by refusing to cooperate and potentially allowing critical evidence to be erased. Investigators sought to preserve crash data from the Jeep Cherokee involved, including speed, steering, and braking information, but ICE refused consent. While a search warrant was being prepared, an ICE agent drove the vehicle away, Teare said.
ICE disputes allegations of intentional conduct, asserting in a statement that Parra Hernandez ran in front of the vehicle when he was struck. The agency described claims of intentional misconduct as “reckless and false,” emphasizing that its personnel are held to high standards of professionalism. ICE also stated that the agent was pursuing Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, a Mexican national with a criminal record and a final order of removal, who was observed getting into a vehicle with Parra Hernandez before both fled on foot.
Witnesses and advocates have raised concerns about the potential deportation of the two detainees, who were handcuffed in the backseat of the ICE vehicle during the incident. Family members and immigrant rights organizations, including FIEL Houston, identified one of the detainees as Luis Delfín Enríquez, who was reportedly on his way to breakfast with employees when he was apprehended. Advocates argue that the men witnessed the entire event and are material witnesses in the investigation. Nidia Delfín, Enríquez’s sister, stated that her brother is not a criminal and is in the process of obtaining a green card.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office and local investigators are coordinating with the DA’s office to pursue the case, despite what Teare described as a lack of cooperation from federal authorities. The DA’s office has requested access to the two detainees, who remain in ICE custody, to gather their accounts of the incident. Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, said the men “witnessed everything that happened,” including the moment Parra Hernandez was struck.
Background of the incident
According to ICE and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Mendoza-Cervantes was the target of the pursuit after a judge issued a final removal order. Surveillance video reviewed by ABC News appears to show the ICE vehicle moving toward Parra Hernandez as he ran. His attorneys have stated that he required surgery for injuries sustained under his knee and is awaiting further medical procedures. The case has drawn attention from immigrant rights groups, who are calling for transparency and accountability in the investigation.
Local and federal authorities have not yet commented on the DA’s allegations of obstruction or the refusal to preserve evidence. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the vehicle strike and the roles of all individuals involved.