Driver, 88, to face negligent homicide charge

Globe Staff

An 88-year-old driver accused of striking and killing a 4-year-old girl in Stoughton is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday in Norfolk Superior Court.

Ilse Horn faces a charge of negligent motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation. The young girl, Diya Patel, was struck on June 13 as she crossed a street with her grandfather and two siblings. Patel died the next day.

After the crash, state officials deemed Horn an "immediate threat" and revoked her license. Her driving record, available under state public records law, also shows that she has been responsible for five car crashes since 1982. The most recent crash before Saturday was on June 9, 2001, in Newton.

The girl's family has joined statewide calls for stricter driver's license requirements. One of her uncles testified before a Legislature committee last month.