TikToker arrested for alleged hit-and-run of pedestrian during livestream | US crime
A social media creator who allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian while driving in a Chicago suburb while simultaneously hosting a livestream has been arrested, according to authorities.
Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, best known to her online followers as Tea Tyme, was arrested Tuesday for her role in the Nov. 3 death of 59-year-old Darren Lucas, Lt. Paul Kehrli of the Zion, Ill., police department said.
Local jail records show McCarty-Wroten, 43, faces charges of reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communication device resulting in death.
Lucas’ son-in-law, Chris King, said Tuesday that the state attorney’s office notified his family of McCarty-Wroten’s arrest.
“The family and I are happy to see the wheels of justice in motion,” King said.
Lucas was reportedly walking at an intersection in Zion, near his hometown of Beach Park, when a driver reportedly hit him, knocking him unconscious. He was later pronounced dead in the hospital emergency room due to blunt force injuries.
McCarty-Wroten remained at the scene of the crash to speak with investigators and was not immediately charged. But he eventually came under police scrutiny after Lucas became aware of a video purporting to be hit by a driver livestreaming on a TikTok account associated with Wroten at the time.
The video in question was a screen recording of the TikTok live broadcast. The footage showed user “Tea_Tyme_3” talking on her phone before a loud noise caused her to say: “Fuck, fuck, fuck… I just hit someone.”
Tea_Tyme_3 ended the live broadcast when a kid in the car asked what happened. Meanwhile, a person in the vehicle asked if the driver was okay.
This account was later made private and the bio section stating that the user was from Zion was deleted.
McCarty-Wroten, who goes by the name Tea Tyme in online profiles and Illinois state business records, sparked a backlash on social media when she held a livestream days after Lucas’ death and solicited donations she said were to support her taking “mental leave” from the internet on the Cash App platform.
“You know I don’t like asking you for shit, but if you all find it in your hearts and want to support it, my CashApp is right there,” he said, according to a recording of the call to a limited TikTok audience.
Among the many negative responses to McCarty-Wroten’s request was a TikTok comment: “Wow, despicable!!! He has no remorse!!!” Another said: “CASH APP?????? AFTER WORKING ON ONE…????”
Aside from a TikTok personality, online profiles associated with Tea Tyme suggest he is a musician and book publisher.
Lucas’ family started a campaign GoFundMe campaign It was intended to provide financial support for King’s widow, whom he described as the late man’s “everything.”
Studies over the years have shown that cell phone use while driving increases the likelihood of a crash like the one that killed Lucas.
TikTok prohibits drivers from livestreaming on the platform for security reasons. However, setting a customized background with the platform’s green screen functionality may defeat the security measure.
