Safety Harbor Man Accused of Shooting Girlfriend, Running Her Over Outside Bar

SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — A Safety Harbor man is in jail without bond after Pinellas County deputies say he shot his girlfriend during an argument outside a downtown bar Tuesday night and then ran her over as he drove away with his young daughter in the car.

Christopher “Dodge” Smith, 40, was arrested on charges of attempted first-degree murder and child abuse. The victim, identified as Smith’s girlfriend Jessica Antolini, 30, remained in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon.

Deputies were sent to the Harbor Bar at 840 Main Street at about 9 p.m. Tuesday after a report of a shooting. Investigators placed the shooting at the southwest corner of 9th Avenue South and Main Street, a short distance west of the bar.

According to detectives, Smith went into the bar at about 8:45 p.m., leaving his 5-year-old daughter and the family dog in the parking lot. He later came outside with Antolini, and witnesses saw the two arguing. Deputies say Smith shot Antolini during the confrontation, then fled in his vehicle with his daughter and the dog, striking Antolini with the car as he left.

Several witnesses called 911 to report the shooting and gave deputies details about Smith’s vehicle, which deputies found shortly afterward. The car was stopped in the Tarpon Woods area, near Valemoor Drive and Ridgemoor Boulevard, where Smith surrendered to deputies. His daughter and the dog were found unharmed in the car and were returned to family members.

Antolini was taken to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg. On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office released body camera video showing deputies arresting Smith.

Smith is being held without bond at the Pinellas County Jail, according to court records. Investigators spent the night at both scenes, interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance video from the area. The sheriff’s office has not announced any additional charges, and the investigation is continuing.

The Harbor Bar has posted a statement about the shooting on Facebook.

The shooting is the latest domestic violence case in the region to draw attention to local support services. The sheriff’s office encourages anyone dealing with domestic violence to reach out to CASA Pinellas at 727-895-4912, HOPE Villages of America at 727-442-4128, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates at 727-582-6259.