A woman from the northern suburbs is facing charges in connection with a tragic accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian. Authorities allege she was livestreaming on TikTok at the time of the incident.
Tynesha McCarty-Wroten was taken into custody on Tuesday following an investigation into the fatal crash that occurred in November, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois.
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The accident took place on November 3rd, around 5:46 p.m., at the busy intersection of Sheridan Road and 33rd Street, as reported by Zion police.
It was there that a 2015 Ford Edge, driven by McCarty-Wroten, struck a pedestrian crossing the road, police confirmed.
The victim, identified as 59-year-old Darren Lucas, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, Zion police stated.
After the collision, the driver remained on-site and promptly called emergency services for assistance.
On Nov. 7, police began an investigation regarding “a video that has surfaced on social media related to this incident.”
“Investigators are currently following up on investigative leads to verify the validity of the video,” police said.
In an update Wednesday afternoon, Zion police said their investigation revealed McCarty-Wroten was “allegedly live-streaming herself on TikTok” at the time of the deadly crash.
“In the days following the crash, numerous members of the public reached out to Zion Investigators to inform them of a TikTok video that allegedly showed Ms. McCarty-Wroten live-streaming herself driving at the time of the crash,” the update from police read in part. “The video was preserved and verified through extensive investigation, including the execution of multiple search warrants and analysis of electronic data.”
McCarty-Wroten’s charges include Reckless Homicide and Aggravated Use of an Electronic Communication Device, officials said.
The suspect appeared in court Wednesday morning, where she was ordered to be held in custody pending her trial.
McCarty-Wroten will be in court again Friday for another hearing.
No further information was immediately available.
