BOSTON, June 8, 2015—A Dorchester man was arraigned today on motor vehicle homicide and other charges in connection with the Saturday night crash that took the life of an 8-year-old girl and seriously injured a 12-year-old boy, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JAMES J. HORTON (D.O.B. 4/10/70) was arraigned today in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of motor vehicle homicide, leaving the scene of an accident causing death, leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury, operating with a suspended license, and negligent operation.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney Judith Lyons, chief of the DA’s Major Felony Bureau, Judge Jonathan Tynes imposed $500,000 bail and ordered Horton to wear a GPS monitor in the event he is released on bail while the case is pending.  Also at Lyons’ request, Tynes revoked Horton’s open bail on cases out of Dorchester Municipal Court and Brockton District Court.

Lyons told the court that at approximately 11:00 Saturday night, Boston Police responded to the area of West Selden Street in Mattapan where the two children had been struck by a vehicle while on the sidewalk.  Witnesses observed the vehicle, a rented 2015 Chevy Cruze, operating at a high rate of speed on West Selden Street before it jumped onto the sidewalk and struck the victims.  The driver’s side of the Cruze then struck a parked car.

After the crash, the driver fled the area on foot in the direction of Lena Terrace.

The surviving victim was treated at Boston Medical Center for serious but non-life threatening injuries.

During the course of an investigation, Boston Police detectives identified Horton as a suspect.  Officers from the Boston and Brockton police departments located Horton shortly after 5:00 a.m. Sunday at a Brockton residence where he was found hiding in a closet.

Kelly Hogan is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Horton was represented by Alyssa Hackett.  He returns to court July 13.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.