Jury finds ex-NY trooper guilty of manslaughter in 2020 chase that killed 11-year-old

KINGSTON, New York — A former New York state trooper accused of crashing into an SUV during a high-speed chase that left an 11-year-old girl dead was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Friday in his second trial.

Prosecutors say Christopher Baldner crashed into the SUV twice on the New York State Thruway, causing it to lose control and roll over. Eleven-year-old Monica Goods, who was in the SUV, was killed in the December 2020 crash. Baldner’s attorneys said the crash occurred after the SUV cut off the officer as he approached during the chase.

A jury acquitted Baldner of murder and reckless endangerment charges in November, but he deadlocked on a second-degree manslaughter charge. Judge Bryan Rounds declared a mistrial and a second trial on the one remaining charge began last month.

Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Gashi told jurors at Baldner’s final trial that he chose to “recklessly use his patrol car as a weapon” during the chase north of New York. Defense attorney Anthony Ricco argued that it was the driver of the SUV — Monica’s father, Tristin Goods — who acted recklessly and caused her death, according to the Daily Freeman.

Baldner stopped Tristin Goods for speeding on the highway near Kingston on the night of December 22, 2020. Goods, his wife and two daughters were heading north from New York to visit family.

Baldner and Goods argued, and the trooper pepper-sprayed the interior of the vehicle. The goods left and Baldner chased after them.

Defense attorneys said Goods collided with Baldner’s police car twice during the chase. An accident reconstruction expert for the defense said Goods lost control of the SUV after overcorrecting after “a very minor impact,” the newspaper reported.

Charles W. Murphy, president of the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers, said the union was deeply disappointed by the verdict and that Baldner was “simply following his training when responding to a rapidly evolving and very dangerous situation.”

“This result sends a troubling message to all law enforcement officers who must make split-second decisions to protect the public,” Murphy said in a written statement.

The ex-trooper retired in 2022 after nearly 20 years with the state police.