Luis Enriquez, one of two men handcuffed inside an ICE SUV when an agent struck Miguel Parra-Hernandez near Highway 6 and Clay Road in Houston on October 10, has been identified as a key witness to the incident, according to Click2Houston. Attorney Kim Bruno, who represents both men, said Enriquez has firsthand knowledge of what happened during the collision and could provide critical information to investigators.
The identification came Wednesday during a news conference held by FIEL Houston, an advocacy organization, along with attorneys and family members. The case now raises urgent questions about witness safety, medical care and the intersection of immigration enforcement and criminal investigation.
Who is Luis Enriquez?
Enriquez's sister, Nidia, said her brother has lived in the United States for 34 years, owns a small business and employs people from the community. She said he has no outstanding arrest warrants or criminal history and has an approved immigration case while awaiting a green card, according to Click2Houston. KPRC 2 has not independently verified those immigration and criminal-history details.
Nidia said Enriquez was on his way to breakfast with his employees before work when ICE stopped them. "My brother is afraid. My parents are afraid. We all as family are afraid, but we are speaking up and we are asking the community to step up," she said at the news conference.
Can a detained witness testify safely?
Bruno said Enriquez "was cuffed in the vehicle at the time of this incident, and so he is a key witness." The Harris County District Attorney's Office is working to obtain Enriquez's statement, according to Click2Houston. FIEL Houston Executive Director Cesar Espinosa said both men detained inside the SUV are now being held at a detention facility in Montgomery County.
District Attorney Sean Teare is investigating whether the ICE agent intentionally struck Parra-Hernandez and whether critical evidence was lost when the agent drove the SUV away before investigators could examine it, according to Click2Houston.
Concerns about moving an injured man from hospital
Parra-Hernandez, 48, remains hospitalized with serious injuries. His right leg was fractured in multiple places and his left leg was also injured, according to Click2Houston. Bruno said Parra-Hernandez still needs another operation on his ankle and cannot put weight on his injured leg.
Bruno said there were discussions Tuesday about moving Parra-Hernandez out of the hospital, according to Click2Houston. She also said the Harris County Sheriff's Office contacted authorities to request that Parra-Hernandez remain hospitalized so he could continue recovering and undergo the additional surgery. That account of the sheriff's office intervention has not been independently confirmed.
Espinosa said ICE's apparent urgency to transfer Parra-Hernandez to a detention facility is troubling. "We do not understand the haste that ICE has to move Mr. Miguel Parra to a detention facility," he said. Espinosa and Bruno argued that a transfer could jeopardize Parra-Hernandez's recovery.
Parra-Hernandez remains in ICE custody while receiving hospital treatment. Bruno said ICE officers have made it difficult for attorneys to visit their client, although she was able to speak with him briefly Tuesday, according to Click2Houston.