Police in the U.S. state of Illinois have filed criminal charges against a driver suspected of causing the death of a pedestrian. The driver was live-streaming on TikTok while driving, sparking a heated debate about the dangers of using phones and social media while driving.
According to The New York Times, police in Zion City have charged Taneisha McCarty-Roten, known on TikTok as “Tea Tyme,” with two felonies: reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communications device resulting in death.
According to investigators, surveillance camera footage showed the car entering the intersection when the traffic light was red, with no apparent attempt by the driver to slow down or change direction before hitting pedestrian Darrin Lucas, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
In a circulating video reposted on TikTok, the driver is seen talking on her phone before the sound of the collision is heard, later confirming that she hit someone. Her lawyer, for his part, stated that what happened was an accident resulting from negligence, not an intentional or reckless act.
This case once again highlights the danger of distracted driving, especially with the increasing prevalence of live streaming and phone use, and the dire legal and humanitarian consequences that can result. (اليوم السابع)
