Woman Arrested After TikTok Livestream Suggests Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Death in Zion, Illinois
Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, 43, known online as "Tea Tyme," was arrested in Zion, Illinois on December 23, 2025, in connection with the November 3 death of pedestrian Darren Lucas, 59. Lucas was struck while walking at an intersection in Zion near Beach Park and later died at a hospital from blunt force injuries.
Authorities charged McCarty-Wroten with felony reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communications device resulting in death. The arrest followed scrutiny of a TikTok livestream video from an account named "Tea_Tyme_3," which recorded a statement shortly after the impact and was subsequently made private, with the related profile and biography removed.
Reports indicate McCarty-Wroten initially stayed at the crash scene, but public attention intensified due to the viral video and her online activity. Days after Lucas's death, she hosted a livestream requesting Cash App donations to take a "mental leave" from the internet, which drew online backlash.
Darren Lucas's family launched a GoFundMe campaign to support his widow, with his son-in-law, Chris King, expressing relief and welcoming "the wheels of justice moving."
