Christopher “Dodge” Smith, 40, is being held without bond after Pinellas County deputies say he shot his girlfriend in the face and ran her over with his SUV while his young child rode in the back seat.
The attack unfolded Tuesday evening outside a bar in Safety Harbor, Florida, where Smith allegedly tracked down Jessica Antolini, 30, following an argument across the street. Witnesses told investigators he appeared to be “hunting” the victim down and looked “possessed,” according to the criminal complaint.
Once Smith located Antolini outside the bar, the couple argued before he allegedly pulled a gun and shot her in the face. Deputies say he then climbed into his SUV, drove over her body, and sped away with his 5-year-old child still inside the vehicle, leaving Antolini bleeding on the ground.
Multiple witnesses flooded 911 with calls about the shooting, also providing details about Smith’s vehicle, the sheriff’s office reported. Responding deputies spotted the SUV and attempted a traffic stop, but Smith refused to pull over.
Bodycam, dashcam and aerial footage released by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office show a deputy successfully executing a PIT maneuver to immobilize Smith’s fleeing vehicle. He was taken into custody following the pursuit.
Smith now faces charges of attempted first-degree murder and child abuse. A judge ordered him held without bond on the attempted murder charge, and he remains in custody at the Pinellas County jail.
Antolini survived the attack but remains hospitalized in critical condition. The 5-year-old child in Smith’s vehicle during the pursuit was not physically injured and has been reunited with family members, authorities confirmed.
The couple’s argument began across the street from the bar before Smith allegedly sought out Antolini at the establishment shortly before 9 p.m. The witness descriptions of his demeanor — “hunting” her down and appearing “possessed” — formed part of the evidence deputies cited in their criminal complaint.
The sheriff’s office released multiple angles of the arrest, including aerial footage capturing the PIT maneuver that ended the chase. The bodycam and dashcam recordings show deputies taking Smith into custody after stopping his SUV.
The child abuse charge stems from Smith allegedly exposing his 5-year-old to the violent attack and subsequent high-speed pursuit. Florida law allows for such charges when a child is present during commission of certain felonies, even without direct physical harm to the minor.
Antolini’s current medical prognosis has not been publicly disclosed beyond her critical condition. The investigation remains active as prosecutors build their case against Smith.
Smith is scheduled to appear in Pinellas County court for a bond hearing on the child abuse charge.