Woman killed in Wading River crash identified as 58-year-old grandmother of 17: ‘heart of the family’

Riverhead police on Thursday identified the victim of Saturday’s fatal Wading River crash as Laura Gullotti, who family members say was a married mother of six and grandmother of 17.

Ms. Gullotti, 58, was driving a car carrying her husband, William Hubbard, before the fatal crash, according to his stepdaughter, Kellieann Hubbard. He was seriously injured and taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, police said.

“He has 16 broken bones in his hand and three in his neck,” Ms. Hubbard told the Riverhead News-Review. “Somehow, he was able to get out of that car and scream for help for his dying wife. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”

Mr. Hubbard was scheduled to have surgery Thursday, she said.

Ms. Hubbard, who lives in upstate Jamestown, said her stepfather was distraught after learning of the death of his wife of 33 years.

She is married to Mr. Hubbard’s son, William Hubbard IV. Their son is William Hubbard V.

Police said officers responding to reports of a crash at about 10:20 p.m. on Wading River Manor Road, north of Grumman Boulevard, found two injured occupants. Ms. Gullotti was pronounced dead at the scene.

A GoFundMe campaign organized by her daughter, Stephanie Gullotti, described the mom as “the heart of their family” and says the family is seeking help with funeral expenses following her sudden death. Ms. Gullotti said her mother was living in Wading River.

“Her children and grandbabies were her whole world, and she would do anything for them,” Stephanie Gullotti wrote on the GoFundMe page, which had raised $740 toward its $6,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Riverhead police at 631-727-4500.