A Florida man is facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly shooting his girlfriend outside a bar and running her over with his vehicle while his 5-year-old daughter was inside.
Christopher “Dodge” Smith, 40, is accused of killing Jessica Antolini, 30, following a confrontation in Safety Harbor, Florida, on Tuesday, October 13.
Antolini initially survived the attack but died two days later, prompting authorities to upgrade Smith’s attempted murder charge to first-degree murder.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Smith arrived at Harbor Bar on Main Street around 8:45 p.m. with his young daughter and the family’s dog.
Investigators say he left the child and dog in the parking lot before entering the business to look for Antolini.
Witnesses later told detectives that Smith was acting unusually aggressively as he searched for his girlfriend. According to court documents, some described his behavior as appearing “possessed” and said he seemed to be “hunting down Antolini.”
After finding her, Smith allegedly confronted Antolini outside the bar, where the couple became involved in a heated argument.
Authorities say the confrontation turned violent when Smith retrieved a firearm and shot her.
Investigators allege that Smith then got into his vehicle and drove away with his daughter and dog inside, running over Antolini as she lay injured in the roadway.
Witnesses immediately called 911 and provided descriptions of Smith’s vehicle, helping deputies locate him a short time later.
According to an arrest affidavit, Smith contacted his mother after the shooting and allegedly admitted what had happened, telling her he had “messed up” and “shot Jess.”
Court documents also indicate that Smith’s young daughter witnessed the attack.
Investigators reported that the child repeatedly told deputies, “Daddy shot Jess,” while describing what she had seen.
Deputies eventually located Smith’s vehicle and attempted to pull him over. When he failed to stop, authorities immobilized the vehicle and took him into custody.
The girl and the family dog were found unharmed and later reunited with relatives.
Meanwhile, Antolini was rushed to Bayfront Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Despite receiving emergency medical treatment, she died Thursday, October 15, at 9:14 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
The following day, investigators confirmed that Smith’s original attempted first-degree murder charge had been upgraded to first-degree murder.
He also faces a child abuse charge stemming from the incident involving his daughter.
Smith is being held without bond at the Pinellas County Jail as the criminal investigation continues.
The incident occurred in Safety Harbor, a waterfront community in Pinellas County, northwest of Tampa, where a night at a neighborhood bar ended in a deadly domestic violence case.
Authorities have not publicly established what prompted the confrontation or disclosed whether Smith and Antolini had any documented history of domestic disputes.
