'F*ck I just hit somebody': TikToker fatally hits pedestrian while livestreaming from her car: police

A popular TikTok content creator known as "Tea Tyme" has been arrested on serious charges after allegedly running over and killing a pedestrian while livestreaming from her vehicle, authorities said. Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, 43, dared to ask for donations following the November 3 incident that claimed the life of 59-year-old Daren Lucas in Zion, a small town about 65 miles north of Chicago. She was charged Tuesday with reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communications device resulting in death, and is being held in custody without bail, jail records show.

Police said that McCarty-Wroten was driving her 2015 Ford Edge through Zion, Illinois when she struck Lucas as he crossed the street while walking home from his job at a nearby grocery store. Surveillance footage contradicted her initial claim to officers that she had a green light; video showed she ran a red light while Lucas had the right of way.

During the livestream on her @Tea_Tyme_3 TikTok account, a loud thud was captured, followed by McCarty-Wroten exclaiming, "F*ck, f*ck, f*ck...I just hit somebody," into the phone as she was livestreaming while driving. Before the stream ended, a child could be heard asking, "What was that?" per the New York Post.

Investigators later determined McCarty-Wroten was using TikTok's green screen feature to bypass the platform's prohibition on livestreaming while driving. Tips from the public about the video led police to obtain evidence from her phone usage at the time of the crash. Lucas was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to blunt force injuries. No drugs or alcohol were involved, police said, and McCarty-Wroten initially cooperated at the scene by calling 911 but refused to allow officers to search her phone.

In the days following the crash, as the investigation continued, she posted on social media asking followers for donations via CashApp, citing a need for "mental leave." The request drew widespread backlash online.

"The family and myself are glad to see the wheels of justice moving," Chris King, Lucas's son-in-law, told reporters after the arrest.