Photo: Terry Wyatt / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
Country music artist Conner Smith has been cited in connection with a car accident that led to the death of an elderly woman in Nashville last month.
On June 8, Smith, 24, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when he struck 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins, who was crossing the street in a designated crosswalk. She was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center but later passed away from her injuries.
Smith was officially issued a misdemeanor citation on July 10 by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, as confirmed by his attorney, Worrick G. Robinson IV. The citation is for failing to yield to a pedestrian — a traffic offense that resulted in a fatality. The charge remains a misdemeanor, which suggests that there was no indication of criminal intent involved.
Robinson noted that Smith has worked closely with investigators throughout the process and continues to express sympathy toward Dobbins’ family. “He is committed to helping promote safer streets and prevent incidents like this from happening again,” Robinson shared in a statement.
A source close to Smith said that the singer supports the recent changes made by the city at the intersection where the crash occurred, including improved signage, clearer crosswalk markings, and the removal of a tree that had previously obstructed drivers’ visibility.
Authorities reported that Smith was not impaired at the time of the crash and was not using his phone or otherwise distracted. Police concluded that the main cause appeared to be the failure to yield to Dobbins as she walked through the crosswalk.
The accident occurred on the final night of Nashville’s CMA Fest, a major event in the country music scene. Smith, who grew up in Nashville, was recently nominated for New Male Artist of the Year at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards and is signed to Big Machine Records.
Sources close to the artist say he is grateful for the community’s support for Dobbins’ loved ones and remains engaged in efforts to enhance pedestrian safety in the city.
SOURCE: PEOPLE