Nashville Installs “Yield To Crosswalk” Signs At The Site Of The Tragic Accident Involving Country Music Artist Conner Smith

The city of Nashville is already taking measure to hopefully prevent another tragic accident like the one that Conner Smith played a role in on Sunday, June 8.

Smith, who is signed to Big Machine Records, is most prominently known as an artist who rose in the country music ranks thanks to TikTok. His song “I Hate Alabama” went viral a couple of years ago, and fans might also recognize his hit song “Creek Will Rise,” or his Tennessee anthem “Orange and White.” He also released his debut album Smoky Mountains in January 2024, and he’s since made plenty of appearances at various country music festivals.

Days prior to his performance at CMA Fest in Music City earlier this month, Smith had played at the Carolina Country Music Fest. Following that, he returned home to Nashville and performed on the Chevy Riverfront Stage the Saturday afternoon of CMA Fest weekend. Then, just over 24 hours after he stepped off the festival stage in downtown Nashville, he was involved in a tragic accident that took the life of a 77-year-old woman.

Initial reports from TMZ suggested that country music singer Conner Smith was behind the wheel of a truck that struck and killed an elderly woman in Nashville on the Sunday of CMA Fest weekend. According to law enforcement, Smith was heading north on 3rd Avenue in his Chevy Silverado as 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins was attempting to cross the street.

Nashville authorities have reported that Dobbins – who was a local resident of Nashville – was in a marked crosswalk when she was tragically hit around 7:30 PM. First responders rushed to the scene following the incident, and the 77-year-old Nashvillian was transported to the nearby Vanderbilt Medical Center. She unfortunately succumbed to her injuries and was officially pronounced dead at the hospital.

Early reports suggest that Dorothy Dobbins had the right of way in the crosswalk, and that Smith failed to yield to her. The police say that Conner Smith did not show any signs of impairment immediately after the crash, nor was he using his cell phone as he was driving.

As of right now, a search of Davidson County court records show that no criminal charges have been filed, but authorities report that the investigation into the crash is still ongoing. Conner Smith’s attorney confirmed that the country singer was involved in the incident in a statement released to TMZ:

“On June 8th, Mr. Smith was involved in a car accident that tragically claimed a life. His heart goes out to Ms. Dobbins’ family during this incredibly difficult time. Mr. Smith continues to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.”

Since the accident, Conner Smith has dropped out of multiple upcoming shows that he was schedule to play, including one at an Ohio music festival. And while his touring schedule has been hit with some modifications, the city of Nashville is also making changes of their own in an effort to keep an accident like the one the country music artist was involved in from ever happening again.

A couple of days after the fatal incident, Nashvillians took place in a vigil-demonstration combination at the very crosswalk that Dorothy Dobbins was struck and killed in, as explained by FOX-17 Nashville:

“On Tuesday evening, community members gathered near the site of the accident, holding signs that read ‘YIELD,’ aiming to raise awareness for pedestrian safety. The vigil temporarily slowed traffic as people stood in the crosswalk where Dobbins lost her life, urging drivers to be more cautious and attentive.”

Metro Nashville quickly responded to that demonstration by erecting new “Yield to Crosswalk” signs in the middle of the road – both in the crosswalk that the 77-year-old was hit in and another that was further up the road:

Following today’s demonstration and national coverage of the incident, Metro has responded with action of its own. New ‘YIELD TO CROSSWALK’ signs now stand in the middle of the road, not just at the site of the fatal crash, but also at the next crosswalk northbound.”

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Good to see that additional safety measures benefiting pedestrians are already being implemented in Nashville. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins, who tragically passed away as a result of the accident.

Just a terrible situation all the way around.The post Nashville Installs “Yield To Crosswalk” Signs At The Site Of The Tragic Accident Involving Country Music Artist Conner Smith first appeared on Whiskey Riff.