What a difference a day makes.
On Saturday, 24-year-old singer/songwriter Conner Smith was featured at the Country Music Awards festival in Nashville.
On Sunday, the vehicle Smith was driving struck and killed a 77-year-old woman crossing the street in a Nashville crosswalk near her home while walking her dog.
Smith was driving a Chevrolet Silverado on Sunday when he hit Dorothy Dobbins, who died.
Here is the official incident report from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department:
The pedestrian killed Sunday night after she was struck by a vehicle on 3rd Avenue North near Van Buren Street is identified as 77-year-old Dorothy Dobbins.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, driven by Conner Smith, 24, was traveling north on 3rd Avenue North as Dobbins was crossing the roadway. It appears that she was inside a marked crosswalk when she was struck around 7:30 p.m. Dobbins, who lived nearby, was transported 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. He showed no signs of impairment. There are no charges at present as the investigation continues.
There is no information available at this time about the condition of Mrs. Dobbin’s dog.
Under Tennessee civil law, Smith could be sued under the wrongful death statutes under an allegation of negligence, subject to paying a judgment to the Dobbins estate if found liable. The determination of liability and the amount of any judgment would be determined by a Tennessee jury.
Under Tennessee criminal law, Smith may or may not be charged with vehicular manslaughter. There are no charges at the time of this writing. Since no impairment has been found, the investigation will continue.
Smith had a breakthrough in his country music career at age 22. He wrote and recorded the original song, "I Hate Alabama." It does not refer to a hate for the state of Alabama or the people of Alabama but rather for the Alabama Crimson Tide’s football team. Conner Smith is a University of Tennessee Vols fan, and the competition between the two football programs has been at a high level for decades.
Here are the lyrics to this Tennessee Vols’ fans’ hit country song about the Tide. It would take some familiarity with the Tennessee-Alabama football rivalry to understand some of the references in the song:
I hate Alabama
I hate AlabamaIt's that one game every year
Where I drink a little more beer
It's over 'fore it's over
If we go there or they come here
Ever since '06
They get us every season
Wish I could say that's the only reason thatI hate Alabama
I hate Crimson Red
And I hate how they yell "Roll Tide"
When I got a Braves hat on my head
And I love Lynyrd Skynyrd
But Lord I hate Sweet Home'Cause whеn I hear it all I see
Is a girl with houndstooth on
In the stands in Tuscaloosa
Might've lost by 22
But I hate Alabama
'Cause that's where I lost youI drove there every weekend
The Vols weren't home at Neyland
Girl you had this Tennessean
Seein' ten years down the roadThen you had to go and break my heart
In a beer can covered frat house yard
I guess some things work and some things don't
And I guess some things change but one thing won'tI hate Alabama
I hate crimson red
And I hate how they yell "Roll Tide"
When I got a Braves hat on my head
And I love Lynyrd Skynyrd
But Lord I hate Sweet Home'Cause when I hear it all I see
Is a girl with houndstooth on
In the stands in Tuscaloosa
Might've lost by 22
But I hate Alabama
'Cause that's where I lost youThat's where I lost you
And I wish I could un-drive those miles
Un-buy that drink
Un-get your name and just be mad about the gameWhen I say
(I hate Alabama)I hate Alabama
I hate crimson red
And I hate how they yell "Roll Tide"
When I got a Braves hat on my head
And I love Lynyrd Skynyrd
But lord I hate Sweet Home'Cause when I hear it all I see
Is a girl with houndstooth on
In the stands of Tuscaloosa
Might've lost by 22
But I hate Alabama
'Cause that's where I lost you
If Smith were to be charged and go to trial, it is expected that Smith’s defense lawyers would strike any Alabama football fans from the jury venire.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama -- her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
