Rising country star Conner Smith ‘cooperating with police' after woman killed in car crash
Country music singer Conner Smith's is cooperating fully with an investigation into a fatal weekend car wreck, his reps have said.
Smith, 24, is said to have been driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on Sunday in Nashville when he hit Dorothy Dobbins, 77, as she crossed the road inside a marked crosswalk at around 7:30 p.m. The crash took place on 3rd Avenue North near Van Buren Street.
According to Metropolitan Nashville police, Dobbins, who lived nearby, was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died.
'The preliminary contributing factor for this crash appears to be Smith failing to yield the right of way to the pedestrian,' the police statement said. 'He showed no signs of impairment.'
The investigation is ongoing and there are no charges 'at present' against Smith, police said.
In a statement shared with People, Smith's lawyer confirmed that the singer was 'involved in a car accident that tragically claimed a life'.
'His heart goes out to Ms Dobbins's family during this incredibly difficult time,' the statement said.
'Mr Smith continues to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.'
The crash took place on the final day of the annual Country Music Association Fest, a four-day celebration of country music in Nashville.
Smith, who was born and raised in the Tennessee music hub, released his debut album, Smoky Mountains, last year through Big Machine Records' Valory imprint. The album included the single 'Creek Will Rise', which became Smith's first Top 20 hit on the Billboard Country Airply chart in 2023.
The musician was nominated for New Male Artist of the Year at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards, and opened for Luke Bryan that same year.
His song 'Steal My Thunder' featuring fellow country singer Tucker Wetmore featured on the soundtrack to the 2024 American disaster film Twisters, which charted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
He married surfer Leah Thompson last year.
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