Social media stardom turned tragic last week after an internet-famous TikTok personality allegedly plowed into a pedestrian while live on camera.
Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, known online to her followers as Tea_Tyme_3, was reportedly streaming from her phone as disaster struck on the evening of November 3 in Zion, Illinois. Police say the 43-year-old is now facing counts of reckless homicide and using an electronic device while driving—an action they say directly led to the deadly wreck.
Victim Darren Lucas, 59, just finished his shift at Torres Fresh Market (formerly Piggly Wiggly), and was crossing the street to head home in Beach Park when catastrophe erupted. Authorities said the Ford Edge piloted by McCarty-Wroten barreled into Lucas as he used the crosswalk. Despite rushing him to the hospital, Lucas couldn’t be saved.
McCarty-Wroten insisted she thought the traffic light was green, but security cameras told a different story, according to footage reportedly captured her running a red light at the fateful moment. Following the devastating crash, Zion police revealed a flood of tips came pouring in, all referencing a TikTok video seemingly showing the suspect driving and streaming in real-time. Investigators preserved evidence through digital forensics, including multiple search warrants and data dives.
Zion Police Department
When reporters checked Thursday, Tea_Tyme_3 had vanished from TikTok, and McCarty-Wroten was cooling her heels inside Lake County Jail. Details surrounding her defense attorney remain unclear at this time.
Grief is pouring in for Lucas’s widow, with his son-in-law Chris King launching a GoFundMe that’s already drawn over $3,000 for the newly heartbroken family. “He leaves behind a wife who was his world,” King shared in an emotional plea on the site, hoping to ease future burdens for her. Speaking to the local Lake and McHenry County Scanner after the arrest, King said, “The pain isn’t going away any time soon, but seeing justice start to take its course brings us a little comfort.”
Distracted driving isn’t just a TikTok-era menace—federal stats shockingly show nearly 3,300 lives lost to it in 2023 alone. Lucas’s loved ones say he was more than a statistic: a beacon of happiness to friends and customers alike. Now, one reckless social media moment has forever changed multiple lives.
