DAD ALLEGEDLY SHOT GIRLFRIEND, RAN HER OVER WITH KID IN CAR

A Florida man allegedly shot his girlfriend after an argument outside a bar in Safety Harbor, then ran her over with his SUV while his 5-year-old daughter and a dog were inside. Jessica Antolini, 30, died from her injuries on October 15, 2026, and Christopher “Dodge” Smith, 40, now faces a first-degree murder charge, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

Smith was arrested on October 13, 2026, and was first charged with attempted first-degree murder and child abuse, the New York Post reported.

Deputies say witnesses saw an argument, then a shooting

Deputies were sent to the area around 9 p.m. on October 13 for a shooting, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office placed it at the southwest corner of 9th Avenue South and Main Street, just west of Harbor Bar.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Smith went into the bar and left his daughter and a dog in the parking lot. He later left with Antolini, and the two were seen arguing outside.

According to a criminal complaint cited by the New York Post, witnesses said Smith showed up at the bar just before 9 p.m. and appeared to be “hunting” Antolini. They said he looked “possessed.” The complaint alleges he shot her in the face during the argument.

Deputies said he then ran her over with his vehicle as he fled, with his daughter and the dog inside. Antolini was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and was initially in “critical condition,” the sheriff’s office said. The sheriff’s office described the incident as domestic-related.

Chase ends with a PIT maneuver

Multiple witnesses called 911 and described Smith’s vehicle, which helped deputies find the SUV. The sheriff’s report says he did not comply when deputies tried to stop him, and his “vehicle was immobilized.”

Bodycam, dashcam and aerial video released by the sheriff’s office appeared to show a deputy vehicle pulling off a PIT maneuver on the SUV. Smith was taken into custody soon after.

The girl and the dog were found safe. The girl was not injured and was reunited with family.

Harbor Bar disputed the reported location in a Facebook post. The bar said Smith was not served there and that the incident “did not happen at Harbor Bar, in the street, or on the sidewalk out front.”

Court filings

A public defender filed a not-guilty plea for Smith, then asked to withdraw because of a conflict, the Tampa Bay Times reported. A judge granted the request and appointed the state’s Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel.

Law&Crime reported that a judge ordered Smith to have no contact with his daughter.

Antolini was pronounced dead at 9:14 p.m. on October 15, two days after the shooting. The sheriff’s office announced the charge upgrade on October 16, and FOX 13 News reported that the child-abuse charge remains. Smith is being held without bond in the Pinellas County Jail.