Corona family holds vigil as hit-and-run driver who killed their son gets out years early
The hit-and-run driver who killed 21-year-old Benjamin Montalvo was released from prison less than three years into her nine-year sentence on Saturday.
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Hunter Sowards has spent nearly a decade reporting in California. She moved from her home state of Texas to San Diego, where she worked as an evening news anchor at KUSI-TV. She joined the CBS family in the summer of 2023, working as an anchor and reporter at KOVR-TV in Sacramento. When the wildfires hit in January of 2025, she traveled from Northern California to help CBS LA and joined the team soon after.
Hunter's passion for community-driven journalism has earned her numerous awards, including multiple first-place honors from the San Diego Press Club, four Emmy nominations, and being named the 2023 San Diego Union-Tribune Readers Poll for "Best Local News Anchor" and "Best Television Personality."
In her free time, Hunter is all about family. Despite being 1,700 miles away from home, she never misses a chance to FaceTime or take a quick trip to East Texas. She's also an avid reader and eater -- ALWAYS looking for a good book or food recommendation.
The hit-and-run driver who killed 21-year-old Benjamin Montalvo was released from prison less than three years into her nine-year sentence on Saturday.
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