A Florida boyfriend faces first-degree murder charges after deputies say he shot his girlfriend outside a bar, ran her over with his SUV, and fled with a child inside.
Christopher “Dodge” Smith, 40, is accused of tracking down Jessica Antolini, 30, outside a bar in Safety Harbor, Florida, shooting her in the face, and then striking her with his vehicle before speeding away with his 5-year-old child in the car.
Antolini died two days later. Pinellas County investigators upgraded the case to first-degree murder, and Smith is being held with no bond in the Pinellas County jail.
Fox News reported the sequence from a criminal complaint and updates from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, which also released bodycam, dashcam, and aerial video of the stop.
According to the complaint, Smith arrived at the bar just before 9 p.m. on the night of the attack. Witnesses described him as appearing to hunt Antolini down and looking “possessed.”
Once he found her, the two argued outside. Deputies say he then allegedly shot her in the face at close range.
After the shooting, investigators say he ran her over with his SUV and left her behind, fleeing with the 5-year-old still inside the vehicle.
Multiple witnesses called 911. They reported the shooting and gave deputies details on Smith’s vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
Pinellas County deputies located the SUV and tried to pull it over. Smith did not comply.
Officers immobilized the vehicle. Video released by the sheriff’s office appears to show a PIT maneuver used to end the chase. Smith was taken into custody.
He was first arrested on attempted first-degree murder and child abuse charges. After Antolini’s death, prosecutors and investigators moved the case to first-degree murder.
Antolini suffered her injuries on October 13, 2026. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed her death to Fox News Digital.
"On October 15, 2026, at 9:14 p.m., Jessica Antolini was pronounced deceased as a result of the injuries she sustained on October 13, 2026,"
the office stated.
Smith remains locked up without bond while the murder case proceeds.
Suzanne Rys Antolini, who identified herself as Jessica’s mother, posted on social media after the death.
"our beautiful daughter Jessica Antolini passed away last night. Our family is beyond heartbroken. Jessica was a beloved child, cherished sister and treasured friend."
She added that her daughter was “a kind and loving person who advocated for the rights of all people and for animal welfare.”
The child in the car was Smith’s 5-year-old. No further public details on the child’s condition were released in the available reporting.
A young woman is dead, a small child was put in the middle of a violent flight from police, and the man accused now sits in jail on a first-degree murder charge. Cases like this are why swift arrests, serious charging decisions, and no-bond holds matter.
