A TikTokker generally known as “Tea Tyme” has been arrested after she allegedly mowed down a 59-year-old man whereas livestreaming — after which had the gall to ask her followers for donations.
The content material creator, whose actual title is Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, was arrested on Tuesday, weeks after she allegedly ran over Darren Lucas in suburban Chicago as he was strolling house from work in November, based on the Zion, Illinois, police division.
The 43-year-old is charged with reckless murder and aggravated use of a communications machine leading to dying, jail data present. She is being held with out bond.
“The household and myself are glad to see the wheels of justice shifting,” Lucas’ son-in-law, Chris King, advised the Guardian Tuesday after her arrest.
McCarty-Wroten was driving by the small city, about 65 miles north of the Windy Metropolis, on Nov. 3, when a sickening thud was heard as she was broadcasting reside.
“F–ok, f–ok, f–ok … I simply hit anyone,” she screamed into the cellphone.
A toddler apparently using within the car along with her could be heard repeatedly asking “What was that?” earlier than the stream abruptly ended.
Lucas was strolling to his house from his job at a grocery retailer throughout the road when he was struck by McCarty-Wroten’s 2015 Ford Edge and knocked unconscious.
He was rushed to the hospital, the place he died from blunt drive accidents.
The TikTokker referred to as 911 and remained on the scene — however insisted to police that she had a inexperienced gentle when Lucas crossed in entrance of her and he or she was unable to cease. She additionally refused to let the police undergo her cellular phone, NBC Information reported.
Nonetheless, police stated surveillance video confirmed she, the truth is, had the pink gentle and Lucas had the correct of option to cross. Days after the crash, police realized that she was utilizing her cellphone on the time, livestreaming on her @Tea_Tyme_3 TikTok account.
An 8-year-old was within the car along with her on the time of the crash, police confirmed, though it’s unclear their relationship to McCarty. Each declined medical help on the scene.
Drug and alcohol have been dominated out and McCarty-Wroten was initially let go with out costs.
“Within the days following the crash, quite a few members of the general public reached out to Zion Investigators to tell them of a TikTok video that allegedly confirmed Ms. McCarty-Wroten live-streaming herself driving on the time of the crash,” police stated in a press release.
In the meantime, as police have been nonetheless investigating and getting ready to cost her, McCarty-Wroten returned to social media and shamelessly begged for donations.
“My CashApp up there if y’all wanna help whereas I’m on psychological depart,” she stated.
“You understand I don’t like asking y’all for s–t, but when y’all … discover it in y’all’s coronary heart and y’all wanna help, my CashApp is true there,” she stated on TikTok three days after the lethal crash.
However as soon as the publish was shared broadly, livid commenters blasted her brazen callousness.
TikTok prohibits livestreaming whereas driving; nonetheless, customers can get across the security measure by utilizing the app’s inexperienced display function, which McCarty-Wrtoen was reportedly utilizing throughout the crash.
