A man was struck and injured by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer early Saturday morning during a pursuit, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:20 a.m. on Clay Road in northwest Houston, according to deputies. As of early Saturday afternoon, the man was being treated at a local hospital for a possible broken leg. The ICE agents were pursuing a white pickup truck traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes, according to the sheriff’s office.
During a press conference Saturday, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Major Anthony McConnell said the man was 48 years old and was in ICE custody.
“From what we understand, there were ICE agents in pursuit of a wanted suspect,” McConnell said. “The ICE agent was trying to box him in to the backside of the building at the corner and struck the passenger. At this point in time, he was transported to the hospital. I’m waiting for a medical update, but we believe he has a broken leg.”
In a statement to Houston Public Media on Saturday, a spokesperson for ICE identified the man as Miguel Parra-Hernandez and claimed he ran in front of the vehicle.
"As ICE officers attempted to apprehend the illegal aliens, Miguel Parra-Hernandez ran in front of an ICE vehicle and was struck," an ICE spokesperson said in a written statement. "ICE immediately contacted EMS and provided aid. Miguel Parra-Hernandez sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. He's in stable condition."
In its statement, the ICE spokesperson said Parra-Hernandez did not have legal status in the U.S.
According to the statement, the incident occurred while ICE was conducting a "targeted enforcement operation in Harris County to arrest Jose Mendoza-Cervantes," who the spokesperson said was driving the vehicle.
The spokesperson said ICE had a final order of removal for Mendoza-Cervantes and that he had a criminal history in Dallas County. However, a search of local court records did not return any criminal cases against Mendoza-Cervantes in Dallas County or Harris County.
An ICE spokesperson did not immediately address the apparent lack of criminal court records involving Mendoza-Cervantes.
Mendoza-Cervantes fled the scene on foot, the ICE spokesperson said, and he remained at large as of Saturday evening.
The sheriff’s office said it is investigating the incident, which occurred about three months after anICE agent fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujoin Houston in July.
In a statement,CaesarEspinosa, the executive director of FIEL Houston, a localcivilrights organization, said he was in contact withParra-Hernandez's family.
"He is alive but is supposed to undergo surgery for his leg, which is broken in three places," Espinosa said. "We must hold all parties accountable and demand a thorough, transparent investigation. ... The biggest question we have is why does this keep happening."
This article was updated on Oct. 10 to include statements from ICE.
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