ICE pursuit that broke Houston worker's leg was targeting a man his family says died years ago, DA says suspect was not in vehicle
A federal ICE officer struck Houston construction worker Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, with a vehicle during a pursuit last Saturday, breaking his leg and requiring reconstructive ankle surgery. The Harris County District Attorney's Office confirmed Friday that the suspect ICE said it was targeting, Jose Mendoza-Cervantes, was not in the vehicle at the time. The family of the man ICE identified as Mendoza-Cervantes says he is actually Jose Hector Jimenez, who died years ago, and provided a Mexican government death certificate to the district attorney's office.
Single source · Not corroborated
Last Saturday in Houston, an ICE officer drove a black SUV over a median and toward Miguel Parra Hernandez, a 48-year-old Mexican construction worker, fracturing his leg. Parra Hernandez remains hospitalized with multiple leg fractures and is in federal custody, according to FIEL, a Houston-based immigration advocacy group. His attorney, Kim Bruno, said he is suffering from depression after learning he was not the intended target of the operation.
ICE had stated after the incident that officers observed a suspect identified as Jose Mendoza-Cervantes enter a vehicle with Parra Hernandez. On Friday, Harris County District Attorney's Office spokesperson Rafael Lemaitre told the Associated Press that Mendoza-Cervantes was not in the vehicle. ICE did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
FIEL said at a Friday news conference that ICE's photo of the alleged suspect actually depicts Jose Hector Jimenez, who died years ago while being pursued by federal immigration authorities as he attempted to reenter the United States. Jimenez's daughter provided a Mexican government death certificate, which has been turned over to the district attorney's office. Andres Rendon, the deceased man's son-in-law, confirmed to the AP that Jimenez was his wife's deceased father. U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for comment.