A Florida man was arrested on attempted first-degree murder and child abuse charges after deputies said he shot his girlfriend outside a bar, struck her with his SUV and left the scene with his 5-year-old child in the vehicle.
The incident occurred in Safe Harbor, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities identified the suspect as Christopher “Dodge” Smith, 40, and the victim as Jessica Antolini, 30.
A criminal complaint says Smith arrived at a bar shortly before 9 p.m. on Tuesday and appeared to be looking for Antolini. Witnesses told investigators he seemed “possessed,” according to the complaint. The couple later argued outside the bar, where Smith allegedly shot Antolini in the face.
Deputies say Smith then drove over Antolini with his SUV and fled. Multiple witnesses called 911 to report the shooting and gave authorities information about the vehicle, according to the report.
Responding deputies located the SUV and attempted to stop it. Smith did not comply, the sheriff’s office said, and the vehicle was eventually immobilized. Bodycam, dashcam and aerial footage released by the sheriff’s office appears to show a deputy vehicle using a precision immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver, to stop the SUV.
Smith was taken into custody and charged with attempted first-degree murder and child abuse. He was being held in the Pinellas County jail without bond because of the attempted murder charge, according to the supplied report.
Antolini remained in the hospital in critical condition. The child in the SUV was not injured and was reunited with family, authorities said. The supplied information does not report whether Smith has entered a plea or provide a response from his attorney.
