Country musician Conner Smith fatally hit pedestrian with truck. No charges now, but probe ongoing

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country musician Conner Smith fatally hit a pedestrian while driving his truck in Nashville over the weekend, and he currently faces no charges as an investigation continues, police said.

Metro Nashville Police said Smith, 24, hit Dorothy Dobbins, 77, Sunday evening while she was crossing the road inside a marked crosswalk. Dobbins, a retired attorney, later died at a hospital. The Tennessee Bar Association posted on its website that Dobbins had been out walking her dog when she was hit.

Police say Smith showed no signs of impairment. They believe the “preliminary contributing factor” appears to be that Smith did not yield the right of way to the pedestrian.

Smith’s attorney, Worrick Robinson, said his client is cooperating with the investigation.

“His heart goes out to Ms. Dobbins’ family during this incredibly difficult time,” Robinson said in a statement.

Dobbins was a leader in the city’s legal aid and family law communities, where she practiced for over 40 years, according to posts by the Bar Association and the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. She played a “foundational role in opening Nashville’s first domestic violence shelter,” according to a Facebook post from the Legal Aid Society, and she wrote the state’s first order of protection legislation.

Smith was a 2024 new male artist of the year nominee at the Academy of Country Music Awards. He released his first full-length album, “Smoky Mountains,” in 2024.

The Nashville native has had gold-certified hits with “Take it Slow” and “Creek Will Rise,” according to his label, Big Machine. Smith had performed at Nashville’s CMA Fest over the weekend.

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Associated Press writer Travis Loller contributed to this report.