A former New York state trooper has been found not guilty of murder in the case of an 11-year-old girl who died after her family's vehicle was rammed during a high-speed police pursuit.
The Fatal Night on the New York Thruway
The case centred on the actions of Christopher Baldner, 52, on the night of 22 December 2020. Baldner, then a state trooper, pulled over a Dodge Journey driven by Tristin Goods for speeding on the New York State Thruway near Kingston. The family, including Goods' wife and two daughters, were travelling north from New York City for a holiday.
During the traffic stop, an argument ensued, leading Baldner to pepper-spray the interior of the vehicle. In response, Goods drove away, initiating a high-speed chase. Prosecutors alleged that during this pursuit, Baldner rammed the SUV twice, causing it to lose control, flip over, and crash. The incident resulted in the tragic death of 11-year-old Monica Goods.
A Divided Courtroom and Conflicting Accounts
During the trial, the prosecution and defence presented starkly different narratives of the events. Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Gashi argued that Baldner's actions constituted a "fatal abuse of power."
In contrast, the defence team contended that the prosecution was attempting to "demonize" Baldner, who they claimed was dealing with a belligerent driver. The defence asserted that the fatal crash occurred when Tristin Goods overcorrected the steering after veering into the path of the trooper's car. This claim was supported by evidence that Baldner had radioed dispatch stating the SUV had rammed his vehicle.
Tristin Goods testified that he fled the initial stop because he was "scared for my life" after being pepper-sprayed. He also acknowledged holding sovereign citizen beliefs at the time, which influenced his refusal to provide his license and registration to the trooper.
Verdict and Additional Charges
On Thursday, 20 November 2025, the jury acquitted Baldner on seven of eight counts, including murder. They deliberated on the final charge of manslaughter the following day. The former trooper was also acquitted of three reckless endangerment charges related to a separate 2019 incident on the Thruway, where he was accused of ramming a Dodge Caravan, causing it to crash.
Baldner, who had been free on $100,000 bail, retired from the state police in 2022 after nearly two decades of service. Messages left with his lawyer were not immediately returned, and the New York attorney general's office, which prosecuted the case, declined to comment on the verdict.
