The mother of a 21-year-old Montgomery woman killed by a hit-and-run driver is speaking with News 12 about the accident nearly one year after an arrest was made in the case.

Cristiana Kovacs was riding with her boyfriend as a passenger on an e-bike when she was struck from behind and killed July 9, 2022 on Route 52 in Walden.

State police say the driver who hit them, 24-year-old Logan Kelly, from Walden, was charged last April, with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death. They say he was also ticketed for driving across hazard markings and failing to keep right.

Kovacs' mother, Jeannette Kovacs, says her search for justice has been painful and that not a day goes by that she doesn’t miss her daughter.

"It's just faith, family and my son really that keeps me going," says Kovacs.

Kovacs says her daughter’s boyfriend lost his leg in the crash. State police say Kelly wasn’t charged, however, for allegedly injuring the e-bike operator.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office says Kelly was released without bail after his arrest and that his next court hearing is in Orange County Court in June.

News 12 has a call out to Kelly’s attorney for more information.

Kovacs, meantime, says her daughter, a musician and singer who sang at local community events, will forever be remembered for her kindness and gentle spirit.

"She was full of love. She did anything to help anybody," says Kovacs. "It didn't matter who you were or what you looked like. She was just a giver."