A prominent TikTok personality has been taken into custody in connection with a fatal collision that occurred while she was allegedly broadcasting live from behind the wheel. The incident, which has sparked widespread outrage, highlights the deadly consequences of distracted driving amplified by social media.
Arrest Follows Fatal November Collision
Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, 43, who is widely known online as Tea Tyme, was arrested on Tuesday by police in Zion, Illinois. She faces serious felony charges of reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communications device resulting in death. The arrest relates to the death of 59-year-old Darren Lucas on 3 November.
Lieutenant Paul Kehrli of the Zion police department confirmed the arrest. Lucas was walking near an intersection in Zion, close to his hometown of Beach Park, when he was struck by a vehicle. He suffered blunt force injuries and was later pronounced dead at a hospital emergency room.
Livestream Video Provided Crucial Evidence
Initially, McCarty-Wroten remained at the crash scene and spoke with investigators, and no immediate charges were filed. However, the investigation took a significant turn when police became aware of a screen recording from a TikTok livestream. The video appeared to show the moment of the impact.
The recording, from an account named "Tea_Tyme_3", showed the user speaking into her phone before a loud thud is heard. She is then heard exclaiming, "Fuck, fuck, fuck … I just hit somebody." The livestream ended abruptly as a child in the vehicle asked what had happened. The associated TikTok account was swiftly made private, and location details were removed.
Backlash Over Post-Crash Donation Plea
The case provoked further public anger when, days after Lucas's death, McCarty-Wroten hosted another livestream. In that broadcast, she solicited financial donations via Cash App, stating the funds were to support her taking "mental leave" from the internet.
"You know I don’t like asking y’all for shit, but if y’all … find it in y’all’s heart and y’all wanna support, my CashApp is right there," she said in the recording, which was made to a restricted audience. The plea was met with a torrent of criticism online, with users condemning the appeal for money following the fatal incident.
Chris King, Lucas's son-in-law, stated that the family had been informed of the arrest by the state attorney's office. "The family and myself are glad to see the wheels of justice moving," King said. The family has since started a GoFundMe campaign to support Lucas's widow.
Platform Policies and Lasting Consequences
While TikTok explicitly prohibits livestreaming while driving as a safety measure, users can sometimes circumvent this by using features like the green screen function to set a custom background. This tragic event underscores the severe risks of using a mobile phone while operating a vehicle, a behaviour linked by numerous studies to a significantly increased crash risk.
Beyond her TikTok presence, online profiles linked to the Tea Tyme moniker also promote McCarty-Wroten as a musician and book publisher. Her arrest marks a sobering chapter in the ongoing discussion about responsibility, social media influence, and road safety.
