(CMR) Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at St. Matthew's University School of Medicine, Dr. Robertus Hilgers, and his girlfriend, Verna Davis Smith (Penny), have been identified as the couple involved in the alleged hit-and-run incident on Friday night at Regency Court.
Several individuals confirmed the identification of the parties who were said to be intoxicated by eyewitnesses and also “became belligerent and violent.” Video footage captured some of the exchange between the parties.
It was shared that both Hilgers and Smith have a checkered history. Dr. Hilgers recently got in an altercation at local West Bay bar Macabuca where it is alleged he became aggressive with the manager. The couple ran out on a bill there, and an eyewitness shared part of the evening's events:
“He slapped the credit card machine out of the manager's hands and took off running. He is a menace to the island and needs to go.”
Apparently, he lives in the same neighborhood as that establishment. Others shared that Hilgers is often intoxicated at local bars, and they are surprised he continues to hold such a position of respect in the university.

For her part, Penny's reputation also leaves a lot to be designed. Sources shared that she lived in the UK for some but has now returned home and lives at her residence in North West Point. Local contractors saw her featured on CMR and complained that she owes them money for finished work but refused to pay them. A previous property manager shared that she was not surprised by those claims; she had been left a rental bill as well.
TCHT host Sandy Hill reached out to Dr. Amitabha Basu, the Dean of Medicine at St Matthew's University, for comment during Monday's morning show. However, he quickly excused himself from the phone call claiming that he had a class to teach. It remains to be seen if the police or his employer will conduct an independent investigation or take any action against him.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid