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A former New York state trooper, Christopher Baldner, was acquitted of murder charges related to a high-speed chase that ended in the death of an 11-year-old girl, Monica Goods, but now faces a retrial on a manslaughter charge. The incident took place on December 22, 2020, when Baldner pulled over Tristin Goods, who was driving a Dodge Journey with his wife and two daughters on the New York State Thruway near Kingston. The stop escalated after a disagreement, during which Baldner pepper-sprayed the inside of the vehicle. Goods then drove off, leading Baldner on a high-speed chase that culminated in Baldner ramming the SUV twice. This caused the vehicle to lose control and flip over, killing Monica Goods, who was a passenger.
The jury found Baldner not guilty on seven of the eight counts, including murder, but deadlocked on the manslaughter charge after four days of deliberations. Because of the deadlock, the judge declared a mistrial on that count and plans to schedule a new trial. Baldner’s acquittals stand unaffected by the mistrial. The case has drawn significant attention, with the New York attorney general’s office stating their intent to pursue the case again in court.
During the trial, the prosecution painted Baldner’s actions as a “fatal abuse of power,” arguing that the trooper’s decision to ram the SUV directly caused the deadly crash. In contrast, Baldner’s defense claimed that the prosecution was trying to demonize him, pointing out that he was responding to a belligerent and uncooperative driver who sped away after the traffic stop. The defense also argued that the crash resulted from Goods overcorrecting his vehicle after a minor collision with the trooper’s car, rather than Baldner’s aggressive maneuvers.
Tristin Goods testified that he fled because he was scared, especially after being pepper-sprayed during the stop. He also acknowledged his belief in sovereign citizen ideology, which rejects certain government laws, and said this belief influenced his refusal to comply fully with Baldner during the encounter. This ideological stance was part of the defense narrative explaining Goods’ behavior. Baldner, who retired in 2022 after nearly 20 years with the state police, was also acquitted of reckless endangerment charges from an unrelated 2019 incident in which he allegedly rammed another vehicle on the Thruway.
Baldner has been out on $100,000 bail throughout the proceedings and was recently released from home confinement. His lawyer has not commented publicly on the verdict. The case remains open with the upcoming manslaughter retrial expected to further examine the circumstances of the crash and the trooper’s conduct. The tragic death of Monica Goods continues to be a central focus in evaluating the use of force and law enforcement accountability during traffic stops and chases in New York State.
