On Conner Smith’s “Citation” for Fatally Striking a Pedestrian

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On June 8th in Nashville’s Germantown neighborhood, the life of 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins ended when Big Machine/Valory Music artist Conner Smith struck the elderly woman crossing the street at a designated crosswalk. After a month of investigation and deliberation, the Metro Nashville Police Department has decided to not end two lives that day by charging the 24-year-old Smith with a manslaughter or murder charge that might have doomed the prospects for his life and career. They have instead just handed him a misdemeanor.

The punishment certainly doesn’t follow the tenets of Hammurabi’s Code, and will certainly anger some, including potentially the family of Dorothy Dobbins, and residents of Germantown. But in this instance, it might have been the most prudent, and legally sound course of action.

According to police, as soon as Conner Smith struck Dorothy Dobbins accidentally with his Chevy Silverado truck, he stopped to render aid until emergency medical personnel arrived. At the time of the accident, he was neither intoxicated, nor distracted with his cell phone or any other device. Since the accident, improvements have been made to the visibility of the crosswalk, which could have played a factor in the accident. Prudently, Smith cancelled all public appearances after the accident, and has cooperated fully with authorities and the investigation.

Though most of the reporting about the charge have centered around the fact that’s it’s indeed a citation Conner Smith received, the full charge is “Failure to Yield the Right of Way Resulting in Death,” meaning a charge specifically designated for what happened on June 8th. It also happens to be a Class A misdemeanor, so not the same as a parking or speeding ticket. The charge can result can lead to imprisonment for up to 11 months and 29 days, fines up to $2,500, court costs, probation, and a one-year driver’s license revocation.

The question the public should have is if Conner Smith received favorable treatment because he was a more high profile individual. In 2021, Smith’s song “I Hate Alabama” went viral on Tik-Tok, and he was signed to Big Machine’s Valory imprint. Since then he’s released two Certified Gold singes in “Take It Slow” and “Creek Will Rise,” with the latter also making it to #12 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and going #1 on the UK Country Airplay chart.

But Tennessee law is pretty open and shut about such charges. Tennessee Law Title 55, Chapter 8, Part 1 about the operation of motor vehicles clearly states that in the situation Conner Smith found himself in, the Class A misdemeanor charge was the correct course of action. In fact, people who found themselves in similar situations prior to 2016 only faced a $500 fine. It was the death of a 17-year-old high school student named Elena Zamora at a crosswalk that helped inspire a strengthening of the penalties.

To be charged with a felony, Conner Smith would need to be proven to be driving recklessly, either from being drunk, drag racing, or some other reckless behavior according to Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 2 of the Tennessee code. Investigators determined this was not the case, and the fact that it took over a month to come to that conclusion means the investigation was likely thorough, and might have even been considered by a grand jury.

To some in the public, the charges will still be considered too light. We also still have to see if Smith actually serves any jail time, or is given probation. His is scheduled to be booked on the charges on August 7th. Either way, it’s fair to conclude the incident has injured his life and career in some capacity. But no amount of punishment will bring Dorothy Dobbins back.

After the charge was announced publicly by Nashville Police, Conner Smith released the following statement.

Four weeks ago, I was involved in a tragic vehicle accident that resulted in the loss of a life. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t grieved, prayed, and mourned for Ms. Dobbins and her family. My heart is broken in a way I’ve never experienced, and I still struggle to fully process the weight of it all,” he continued. “I ask that you continue to lift the Dobbins family up in prayer by name, asking for God’s peace to surround them each day.

I have always found that making music and playing shows is a place of healing for me, but for this moment, it was important for me to take time away from.

I’m thankful to serve a God who is near to the brokenhearted, and I have leaned on Him every step of the way. Through tragedy, I have learned that God is more faithful than I could have ever known before.

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