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A TikTokker known as “Tea Tyme” has been arrested after she allegedly mowed down a 59-year-old man while livestreaming — and then had the gall to ask her followers for donations.
The content creator, whose real name is Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, was arrested on Tuesday, weeks after she allegedly ran over Darren Lucas in suburban Chicago as he was walking home from work in November, according to the Zion, Illinois, police department.
The 43-year-old is charged with reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communications device resulting in death, jail records show. She is being held without bond.
“The family and myself are glad to see the wheels of justice moving,” Lucas’ son-in-law, Chris King, told the Guardian Tuesday after her arrest.
McCarty-Wroten was driving through the small town, about 65 miles north of the Windy City, on Nov. 3, when a sickening thud was heard as she was broadcasting live.
“F–k, f–k, f–k … I just hit somebody,” she screamed into the phone.
A child apparently riding in the vehicle with her can be heard repeatedly asking “What was that?” before the stream abruptly ended.
Lucas was walking to his home from his job at a grocery store across the street when he was struck by McCarty-Wroten’s 2015 Ford Edge and knocked unconscious.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he died from blunt force injuries.
The TikTokker called 911 and remained at the scene — but insisted to police that she had a green light when Lucas crossed in front of her and she was unable to stop. She also refused to let the police go through her cell phone, NBC News reported.
However, police said surveillance video showed she, in fact, had the red light and Lucas had the right of way to cross. Days after the crash, police learned that she was using her phone at the time, livestreaming on her @Tea_Tyme_3 TikTok account.
An 8-year-old was in the vehicle with her at the time of the crash, police confirmed, although it’s unclear their relationship to McCarty. Both declined medical assistance at the scene.
Drug and alcohol were ruled out and McCarty-Wroten was initially let go without charges.
“In the days following the crash, numerous members of the public reached out to Zion Investigators to inform them of a TikTok video that allegedly showed Ms. McCarty-Wroten live-streaming herself driving at the time of the crash,” police said in a statement.
Meanwhile, as police were still investigating and preparing to charge her, McCarty-Wroten returned to social media and shamelessly begged for donations.
“My CashApp up there if y’all wanna support while I’m on mental leave,” she said.
“You know I don’t like asking y’all for s–t, but if y’all … find it in y’all’s heart and y’all wanna support, my CashApp is right there,” she said on TikTok three days after the deadly crash.
But once the post was shared widely, furious commenters blasted her brazen callousness.
TikTok prohibits livestreaming while driving; however, users can get around the safety measure by using the app’s green screen feature, which McCarty-Wrtoen was reportedly using during the crash.
English (US)