Christine Hodill

Woman With Passion For Kickball Killed Near Bar In Hit-And-Run
Posted Feb 28, 2007 by The Tampa Tribune
Updated Mar 1, 2007 at 10:50 AM


A shoe is seen in the road as investigators comb the scene for evidence. (News Channel 8 Image)

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By VALERIE KALFRIN and MARI ROBYN JONES
The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA - Twice a week, Christine Hodill met with friends at MacDinton’s Irish Pub & Restaurant after the kickball games she helped organize.

Those who knew her reeled Wednesday upon hearing a car had struck and killed her about 2:30 that morning near the bar and her apartment. Police are searching for the driver.

“Everybody is still in shock,” said Barry O’Connor, general manager of MacDinton’s. “She was very outgoing, very personable. There’s nothing bad I can say about her.”

Police said a four-door Nissan Altima or Maxima hit Hodill, 28, as she crossed West Cleveland Street at South Moody Avenue. The car has metallic paint, possibly dark green or black. It has a large spoiler on the rear and dark, tinted windows. The car is missing the left side-view mirror and will have damage to the left front headlight and windshield.

Investigators ask anyone with information about the car to call (813) 231-6130.

Hodill, of 104 S. Armenia Ave., worked as a recruiter, O’Connor said. Her off-duty passion was kickball. A local agent for the World Adult Kickball Association, she organized games every Tuesday and Thursday and hung out at MacDinton’s, a co-sponsor, afterward.

Through word of mouth, she had signed up as many as 400 players, O’Connor said. “It was all for the fun of it, you know?”

She also organized charity fundraisers. Last weekend, she put together a “pub crawl,” in which people paid $10 to bar hop in south Tampa. The event raised about $2,000, O’Connor said.

He hopes to hold an event at MacDinton’s to honor Hodill. “Hopefully, we can get the person who did this,” O’Connor said.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800.


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Posted by Heather Nissen, St. Pete, FL on 02/28 at 04:47 PM

I did not know Christine very well but from what I did know of her she was a good person who did not deserve her fate. I have her to thank for the life long friendships that I have made from kickball!!! She will be missed by all of us in the league.
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Posted by Amanda Howell, Tampa, FL on 02/28 at 04:46 PM

Christine was a great person and will be truly missed by all those who knew her. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
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Posted by Molly Marsters, South Tampa on 02/28 at 04:29 PM

Christine was one of the kindest most caring individuals and a positive role model for so many people. I am so thankful and blessed to have had her as a friend. We will all miss you so much.
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Posted by Nicole Mayer, Tampa, Florida on 02/28 at 04:19 PM

The first time I went to Macdintons to sign up for kickball I met Christine and she was immediately very friendly with me. She told me that she decided to head up Tuesday night kickball so that she could meet more people and have more fun. Because of her efforts, so many of us were able to come together, make new friends, and have so much fun.

Anyone who met Christine, even if only once, could tell immediately that she was just a genuinely nice human being. The world needs more people like her and she will be greatly missed.
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Posted by Cindy McClure, South Tampa on 02/28 at 04:06 PM

It is only after one’s passing that you realize the impact they had on your life and others. Through Christine I have met so many great friends. She really is the bond that ties a lot of us together. That was just her, fun-loving, spiritied and full of laughter, big smile and a few practical jokes up her sleeve. Her spirit truly will live on within all of us. She brought us together through her life and now she brings us together through her death. We will always love you Christine.
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Posted by Luke Haynie, West Palm Beach on 02/28 at 03:45 PM

A truly tragic loss to her family, friends, and the community as a whole.
She was one of the main contributors to my integration into Tampa’s network of young professionals, which I will always be truly thankful for.

She will be missed, especially her loud and welcoming nature.

Knowingly and unknowingly, we are all slightly diminished.
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Posted by Debby Gladish, Tampa on 02/28 at 03:33 PM

I didn’t know Christine well, but I knew her well enough to know that she had a big heart, a beautiful smile, and an awesome personality. I am shocked and horrified that someone would drive off and leave a girl to die in the street, and also that there are people who judge her and her friends after such a tradgedy. My thoughts and sympathies to her family and friends.
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Posted by Crystal Biasi, Tampa, FL on 02/28 at 03:29 PM

What an absolute tragedy…I am deeply saddened by the news of Christine’s sudden passing. Christine, you are in our thoughts and prayers. A beautiful person, with a good heart—vibrant and full of energy—smiling and fun. You have touched many lives and hearts and will be deeply missed.
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Posted by Chris Lupia, Tampa on 02/28 at 03:21 PM

Christine was an acquaintance and client of mine. She always had a great smile and some nice words for everyone, whether they were a friend or a stranger. She worked hard and made great progress towards her personal goals in the time that I knew her. Many people will miss out on the opportunity to meet and be friends with this young lady. She was a truely nice person.

I don’t question where she was, or what she was doing, or what time it was. I am a wise enough and honest enough person to know that this could have been me or one of my friends on many occassions. Don’t try to grant yourself God’s right to judge another human being. The tragedy here is that the life of a good person has ended way too early and that many people have been robbed of the chance to even know her.
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Posted by Michael Lundberg, Tampa, Florida on 02/28 at 03:11 PM

These fatal hit and runs have become epidemic recently. We have had so many here in the Bay area in the past 2 years. The criminals who commit these crimes always seem to get a slap on the wrist, and it does send the wrong message. We need to force the issue on the judges and prosecutors that these criminals need to be punished as such. There are mandatory sentencing laws on nearly every crime, there should be one on this crime also. Too many people like Christine are dying and the killers need to be prosecuted and sentenced severely. Maybe then we won’t have to read about our friends and neighbors dying in the street.
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Posted by Jessica Cornelius, SAN DIEGO, CA on 02/28 at 03:06 PM

MY SISTER DID EVERYTHING TO PROTECT ME. I CAN’T EVEN COPE WITH THE FACT THAT SHE IS GONE.I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO HEAR HER LAUGH AGAIN. LOSING MY SISTER IS THE TRAGEDY OF MY LIFE. FOR THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HER KNEW THAT SHE CARING AND DEDICATED TO FINDING HAPPINESS. I’M SORRY FOR EVERYONE’S SORROW, INCLUDING MINE. I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO SEE YOU AGAIN. RIP SIS.
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Posted by Randolph Franz, Tampa, FL on 02/28 at 03:05 PM

Christine, you will be missed… I think the world lost a great person and a great friend today… I am a better person to have known you…

Thanks
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Posted by Andrew Elkins, Tampa on 02/28 at 02:21 PM

This is truly sad and tragic news. I was talking with Christine just last night at the Kickball game and the bar afterwards. Words cant express my shock and sadness at the passing of such a kind,friendly and warm hearted person.
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Posted by Angela Lost, South Tampa on 02/28 at 02:13 PM

I live in S Tampa and often go down Platt Street during/after the local bars on that street are open/closed. A note to anyone driving in this area, SLOW DOWN! The patrons do not care who is on the street driving, they walk right in front of your car without a thought and that goes for those leaving from parking lots in thier cars as well. I tell all my friends this when they travel down this street and they don’t believe until it happens, then they make sure to do it.

In no way do I mean any disrespect. May this person have the good mind to come forward and own up to this so that the healing can begin.
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Posted by Megi Marsters-Garrison, Tampa on 02/28 at 01:58 PM

As a Mom of one of Christine’s friends, I must say that my heart and prayers go out to her family and friends. It is tragic that we have lost another bright, personable, and outgoing young person to such a useless accident. The person who killed her needs to step up and take responsibility. And the judgemental person who is making comments and assuming that their own child wouldn’t have been in shock, had they known the victim, when this happened in front of them should quit making irrational statements about the victim’s friends. Most likely a DUI or cell phone abusing driver was involved - we need laws to protect our pedestrians - especially in Tampa! What a huge loss for everyone involved.
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Posted by Michael Blitch, Tampa, FL on 02/28 at 01:40 PM

A couple of teammates and I were speaking with her for a short while at MacDinton’s last night after the regular Tuesday night kickball game.

Christine was instrumental in handling the organization logistics and did a LOT of work putting together everything for the charity pub crawl this weekend and was mentioning last night that they raised more than ever before and how the PAL charity would be able to use the money for new equipment.
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Posted by Kristyna Taylor, Rock Hill, SC on 02/28 at 01:33 PM

Christine had a kind heart, a mean leg and a great sense of humor. She will indeed be sorely missed! My thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family!
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Posted by Justin Stine, Valrico, FL on 02/28 at 01:30 PM

It’s a shame I didn’t get to know her better than I did. The one thing that stands out most to me was her smile, you were guranteed to see it the moment she saw you coming.
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Posted by Frank Eller, South Tampa on 02/28 at 01:22 PM

Christine was and will be forever in my thoughts as a great person and friend. She got me into kickball and I have made tremendous special people and friends just like her. Christine, you will forever be in my thoughts and prayers. We, and I think I speak for all us kickballers, know how good of a person she was and will be remembered as. All those who think or post negative things about her or her friends need to back off for we lost someone special to someone who couldnt care or take responsibility for despair they have caused us all.
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Posted by kevin dommermuth, tampa on 02/28 at 01:06 PM

this is horrible. I hope whoever did this to this young lady and her family/friends turns themselves in. Or if they got caught her family should run them over as well. Lets go back to an eye for en eye.
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Posted by Knowlton McEachern, Brandon on 02/28 at 01:01 PM

You will be missed Christine, and many of us owe you great deal to the effort you put into organizing our league. I have long said that joining Kickball was one of the best things I ever did, and sometimes the effort that the organizers go through gets overlooked. We didn’t get along so well lately, and I wish I could go back and change that.

I certainly wont be taking anyone for granted anymore. Life can be taken away so quickly and Christine was young. That “Kickball Withdrawl” many of us go through in between each season doesn’t come from our love for the game, it is the time that we all have together. Christine has been part of this experience for a long time, and it wont feel the same without her involved in it. It feels like losing a member of the family.

Many thanks for everything you did for us, God Bless You, and rest in peace.
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Posted by John Key, Tampa on 02/28 at 12:56 PM

I worked with her for about a year. She was a fine and dedicated person. She is in the hands of God now.
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Posted by Maggie Trapnell, St pete on 02/28 at 12:23 PM

Anyone who knew Christine, knows what a big and kind heart she has. She was very well liked and loved by her friends. A lot of people knew her by association and if her close friends were with her when she was hit, you know they would have been helping in any way they could. She is loved and will be missed by everyone she touched. I thank her for the time spent and my life is better just by meeting a stong person like her.
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Posted by Sarah Pflasterer, Tampa, FL on 02/28 at 12:20 PM

Christine was a beautiful person with a heart of gold and deserves to be remembered that way. I know I am one of many that would like to express how much she changed my life for the better. And although I never met her family, my prayers go out to them at this especially hard time, as I know they are also mourning another loss in the family.
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Posted by Tyrus Gordon, Tampa, FL on 02/28 at 12:08 PM

The news of Christine’s sudden departure is certainly a shock to the system. As a friend of hers I find it difficult to take inventory of my thoughts right now. She was always so enthusiastic and happy. I think I speak for everyone in our extended kickball family when I say she will be deeply missed. I hope that the driver is found and quickly brought to justice.
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