Matt Lauer's 20-year-old daughter, Romy Lauer, crashed her Jeep Wrangler into a fence and a sign in the Hamptons over the Fourth of July weekend but the college student left her license plate at the scene, making it easy for local police to track her down, according to police.
The friends spent part of the holiday celebrating at Kissaki Sushi in Water Mill, as shown in her TikTok video, but by around 4 a.m. on July 5, she was driving in Southampton. A resident on North Sea Mecox Road was jolted awake by a loud crash and called 911, concerned that someone might have been seriously injured in the accident.
Costly Mistake
According to a source speaking to the New York Post, when local police arrived, they found a knocked-over fence and sign but no trace of the vehicle, except for the license plate left behind.
Page Six reports that the license plate from Romy's Jeep Wrangler came off during the minor collision, which helped Southampton Town police identify her as the daughter of the former "Today" host.
The daughter of Matt Lauer and his ex-wife, model Annette Roque, has been issued a summons for leaving the scene of the accident, according to police.
Another source revealed that a ticket was issued and that prominent local attorney Edward Burke Jr. is "currently involved in the case and resolving this for Ms. Lauer" in court.
Burke, known for representing high-profile clients such as Justin Timberlake, has also previously worked with Matt Lauer, Lizzie Grubman, Jason Kidd, and other celebrities.
A source added that around 4 a.m. on July 5, a concerned neighbor called 911 about a crash on North Sea Mecox Road after hearing a loud noise and fearing that someone might have been injured.
When police arrived, they found a fence and a sign knocked over, but the driver had fled, leaving behind their license plate.
On the night of July Fourth, Romy shared a TikTok video of herself and two friends eating at the sushi restaurant Kissaki in nearby Water Mill.
Reckless Daughter Like Father
Romy, who studies finance at the University of Miami, met her boyfriend of one year, Spanish tennis player Antonio Pratt, at college. She appears to spend much of her time attending upscale parties and going on luxurious vacations with her equally privileged friends.
Since being dismissed from the 'Today' show due to multiple sexual abuse allegations, Lauer has largely been hiding on his farm in New Zealand.
He appeared on Romy's TikTok in 2019 performing some awkward dance moves and celebrated her 18th birthday on October 2, 2021, with a trip to the Hamptons. Lauer was seen dining with his daughter, his girlfriend Shamin Abas, and one of Romy's friends at the Italian restaurant Tutto Il Giorno and having ice cream at Yummylicious.
His ex-wife, Dutch model Annette Roque, was not present during these outings. Roque had left Lauer in 2006 while pregnant with their third child, Thrijs, citing "mental abuse, extreme mental and emotional distress, humiliation, torment, and anxiety."
Although they reconciled briefly, they finalized their divorce on September 7, 2019.
Like her mother Roque, Romy is a passionate equestrian and has competed in the Hampton Classic. Lauer and Roque also have two sons together: Jack, 23, and Thijs, 17.
