A former State Trooper has been sentenced to prison for his role in a 2020 crash that killed an 11-year-old girl during a high-speed pursuit on the Thruway.
Christopher Baldner was sentenced Tuesday in Ulster County Court to 2½ to 7½ years in state prison. The 47-year-old Catskill man retired from the State Police in 2022 after nearly two decades of service.
A jury convicted Baldner in March of manslaughter in the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods. He was acquitted of more serious charges of murder and reckless endangerment.
Prosecutors argued that Baldner intentionally rammed the family’s SUV twice during a pursuit on Dec. 22, 2020, causing the vehicle to lose control and overturn. Monica Goods, who was riding in the SUV with her parents and sister, was killed in the crash.
According to court testimony, Baldner had stopped Monica’s father, Tristin Goods, for speeding near Kingston shortly before midnight as the family traveled north from New York City to visit relatives. Prosecutors said an argument occurred during the traffic stop and Baldner deployed pepper spray into the vehicle before Goods drove away, prompting the pursuit.
Defense attorneys contended that the crash was caused by the SUV’s actions during the chase. They argued that Goods struck the trooper’s patrol vehicle and that the SUV lost control after a minor collision while Baldner attempted to pull alongside.
An accident reconstruction expert called by the defense testified that Goods overcorrected following what was described as a minor impact, leading to the rollover.
