Jessica Antolini dies days after Christopher ‘Dodge’ Smith, Florida boyfriend shoots and runs over her with car after fight at Safety Harbor area bar.
‘Daddy shot Jess…’ A Florida man is facing murder charges days after his girlfriend mortally succumbing to injuries received after shooting and running over her with his car as the man’s infant daughter sat in the car.
Christopher ‘Dodge’ Smith, 40, of Safety Harbor was arrested Tuesday night and charged with attempted first-degree murder and child abuse in connection to the shooting of Jessica Antolini, 30.
Antolini died of her injuries at 9:14 p.m. Thursday, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a release, Friday morning.
Possessed boyfriend hunts down girlfriend
According to an arrest affidavit, Smith arrived at the Harbor Bar at 840 Main St. about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and went inside looking for Antolini, leaving his 5-year-old daughter and dog outside.
Witnesses described Smith walking around the bar as if he was ‘possessed’ and ‘appeared as if he was hunting down’ Antolini according to the arrest affidavit.
Smith found Antolini and began arguing with her outside as his daughter watched. When Smith walked over to his SUV, Antolini followed, only to pull a gun and shoot her in the face. The round went into her left eye and through her skull, the affidavit stated according to the Tampa Bay Times.
But there was more to come.
Smith and his daughter got into his SUV only to back over Antolini as she lay on the ground, the affidavit stated. The boyfriend was observed speeding off from the scene, the affidavit stated.
Antolini was taken to Orlando Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg and intubated.
‘Daddy shot Jess,’
Multiple witnesses called 911 to report the shooting, which happened at the southwest corner of 9th Avenue South and Main Street, just west of the bar, according to the sheriff’s office.
Smith called his mother after the shooting and told her he was bringing his daughter to her because he ‘messed up’ and ‘shot Jess.’
A video released by the sheriff’s office shows a deputy using a precision immobilization technique, also known as a PIT maneuver, to cause Smith’s SUV to spin out of control on Ridgemoor Boulevard, in the Ridgemoor subdivision in Palm Harbor. Smith then got out of the SUV with his hands up.
‘My daughter’s in there,’ Smith told deputies as they handcuffed him. ‘I’m submissive, OK, I’m not going to give you any problems.’
The video shows Smith’s daughter crying as she and the dog got out of the SUV.
The girl told deputies, ‘Daddy shot Jess,’ according to the affidavit.
Domestic violence victim remembered
Antolini’s mother, Suzanne Rys Antolini, posted a message from the family on Facebook Friday announcing Jessica’s death and expressing thanks ‘for the love we’ve felt from so many people.’
The post said the family was ‘beyond heartbroken’ and called Jessica ‘a beloved child, cherished sister and treasured friend.’
‘Jess was a kind and loving person who advocated for the rights of all people and for animal welfare,’ the post said.
Smith remained held without bail at the Pinellas County Jail with no bond following upgraded charges of first degree murder.
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