Riverside County family who lost son to hit-and-run outraged over suspect's early release

A Corona family is outraged after learning that the hit-and-run driver who killed their son in 2020 is being released less than three years into her nine-year sentence. 

Benjamin Montalvo was just 21 when he was struck from behind while riding a bike with friends in front of his old high school back in June 2020. His parents say the group was heading to meet his brother for a late dinner when it happened. 

"She was texting," said Kelli Montalvo, Benjamin's mother. "Twenty-four texts were exchanged in the six minutes surrounding the crash."

The driver, Neomi Renee Velado, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run for the crash. In 2023, she was sentenced to nine years in prison, but now, she's due for release in February, just over two years into her sentence. 

"Stabbed in the heart when it happened, and now a punch in the gut," said Benjamin's father, Eddie Montalvo. "When do they care for the victims?"

The Montalvo family received a letter from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation notifying them that Velado would be released next month, adding to what they say is nonstop pain for their son's loss. 

"I keep hoping there is a mistake, that they've done a miscalculation," Kelli Montalvo said. 

The family says that they've been told that even with her nine-year sentence, it was more likely that Velado would serve half of the time before she was released, assuming she stayed out of trouble. 

"Nine years, four and a half, now two and a quarter. ... What about us?" Eddie Montalvo asked. "Does anyone think about our family?"

They've reached out to CDCR to ask why she's being released so early, but haven't yet heard back. The Riverside County District Attorney's Office says it hasn't been informed why yet either. 

Though they believe in second chances, the Montalvo family says they haven't seen any remorse from Velado since the tragedy occurred. 

"This was her fourth hit-and-run," Kellie Montalvo said. 

While they know nothing will bring Benjamin back, they hope that his memory continues to live on and that VElado will somebody understand what was lost. 

"The best thing that could happen, is her to attempt to reach out to us and show any kind of sadness, remorse and accept responsibility and then go on and change her life," Kellie Montalvo said.