“I still struggle to fully process the weight of it all”- Conner Smith breaks silence on involvement in fatal car accident

Country singer Conner Smith has put out a public statement after his involvement in a deadly traffic incident that killed 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins in Nashville, Tennessee. The 24-year-old artist shared his thoughts on social media on Friday, July 11, almost four weeks after the accident happened. 

“Four weeks ago, I was involved in a tragic vehicle accident that resulted in the loss of a life,” Smith wrote. “Not a day has gone by that I haven’t grieved, prayed, and mourned for Ms. Dobbins and her family.”

He continued,

“My heart is broken in a way I’ve never experienced, and I still struggle to fully process the weight of it all. 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. Out of respect for everyone involved and to give space to grieving, I made the decision to step away from shows these past few weeks. 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."

“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 l've never experienced, and I still struggle to fully process the weight of it all.”

Conner Smith’s first public statement since the June accident in… pic.twitter.com/hoPn91uSLR

— Country Central (@CountryCentral) July 11, 2025

Conner Smith breaks silence following fatal pedestrian accident

The crash happened in early June and involved a Chevrolet Silverado truck that Smith was driving. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department reports that the vehicle hit Dobbins as she crossed 3rd Avenue North. Preliminary investigation indicates Dobbins was in a designated crosswalk when struck by the car at approximately 7:30 pm.

Medical staff transported her to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where physicians subsequently declared her deceased. Police said the primary cause of the accident appeared to be a failure to yield the pedestrian right-of-way. They ruled out Smith didn’t exhibit any impairment at the scene. The police didn’t press any criminal charges immediately but subsequently issued Smith a misdemeanor state citation for the episode.

Smith in his written statement stated the gravity of the situation is troubling him. He relayed he grieves Dobbins and her family every single day. He confessed to having trouble with the emotional weight of the incident and appealed to people to continue thinking and praying about Dobbins' loved ones.

The artist also explained why he has not been performing in public. He mentioned that he chose to take time off in respect for the victims and to allow people time to mourn. Smith mentioned that music tends to heal him, but he felt it was best that he took some time off. Smith's attorney Worrick G. Robinson IV expressed gratitude to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department for the investigation.

Updates may continue to be made as the investigation unfolds and as Smith carries on his professional endeavours following the sad incident.