Country star makes drastic career move after deadly car crash with pedestrian

Country artist Conner Smith is experiencing a significant change in the trajectory of his budding career following his involvement in a fatal accident.

Originally planned to perform as the main act at the Military Appreciation Concert in Akron, Ohio, on June 20th, the 24-year-old musician is no longer participating in the event, according to tournament organizers who made this announcement to WKYC on Monday.

Smith withdrew from the event not long after authorities claimed that he collided with and fatally hit an elderly woman, aged 77, with his pickup truck as she was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing.

Smith’s representatives haven’t yet responded to DailyMail.com’s request for comment. 

According to a representative from William Morris Endeavor (WME), Conner Smith is taking some personal time to deal with recent happenings, which means he won’t be able to perform in Akron on June 20th. They ask for your comprehension and patience as they go through this challenging period.

The Military Appreciation Concert, known as “A Night in Nashville,” which is set to take place at Akron’s Firestone Country Club, has announced that Frankie Ballard will be the main performer for the event.

Smith has since dropped out of multiple upcoming performances in the wake of the dead crash.

Initially, he had planned to perform at the Buckeye Country Superfest on June 22, a day after his Night in Nashville show.

However, as stated by X on Monday, he regretfully won’t be able to perform over the weekend.

Vincent Mason has been confirmed as the first performer at Ohio State University’s football stadium, where Jelly Roll and Kane Brown are set to take the stage later in the night.

Despite the recent cancellations, Smith hasn’t completely cleared his schedule. 

As a devoted follower, I’m excited to share that his performance schedule suggests he’s still planning to give two concerts in Missouri on the 18th and 19th of July. Following these shows, it seems like he has a tour lined up through the Midwest towards the end of the month.

Smith’s itinerary includes numerous solo performances and festival appearances spread throughout the United States, extending from August to late November.

On the evening of June 8th, as stated in a release from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department on June 9th, Dorothy Dobbins, aged 77, was tragically struck and killed by Smith, using his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.

According to reports, it’s said that an artist under the same parent company as Taylor Swift’s former record label, Big Machine Records, named Smith, reportedly struck Dobbins while she was strolling across a designated pedestrian crossing.

According to the police report, Dobbins was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she later passed away. Notably, the incident occurred at a crosswalk where Smith is said to have struck her, and it’s worth mentioning that Dobbins resided nearby.

According to a statement made to DailyMail.com, Worrick G. Robinson, the lawyer for Smith, stated that Smith was unfortunately involved in a car accident that resulted in a fatal outcome.

Robinson expressed his deep sympathy for the Dobbins family, acknowledging that they are going through a tremendously challenging period. He also confirmed that Mr. Smith remains completely cooperative as the investigation continues.

According to the police, not giving the right of way to the pedestrian was a significant cause of the incident involving Smith.

Officials additionally mentioned that there were no indications of impairment from Smith, however, it remains unclear whether or not he underwent testing for substance misuse related to drugs or alcohol.

At present, no charges have been brought against the singer related to the incident, however, the police inquiry regarding the accident is still active.

According to a reliable source near Smith, the collision was simply an unfortunate accident. They added that at the time of the incident, Smith was not impaired by any substances and had not been preoccupied with his phone.

On-site sources indicated that the police promptly let the singer go because, apparently, there were no clear indications of intoxication.

The deadly incident occurred on the final day of CMA Fest 2025 in Nashville’s Riverfront Park. 

On the Chevy Riverfront stage at the festival, Smith gave a performance on Sunday, June 6, the day preceding the accident.

Smith is a recording artist for Big Machine Records’ sub-label Valory. 

He gained significant recognition through his popular release, “I Hate Alabama,” which exploded on TikTok towards the end of 2021 and captured the hearts of many users.

The catchy tune in the song paved the way for him securing a record deal, which was officially launched with his 2022 EP titled “Didn’t Go Too Far.

In simple terms, his songs “Take It Slow” and “Creek Will Rise”, released in 2023, have both earned Gold status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Remarkably, “Creek Will Rise” also climbed into the top 20 on Billboard’s US Country Airplay chart.

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2025-06-18 02:49