KINGSTON, N.Y. — A former New York state trooper will face a retrial in connection with the death of an 11-year-old girl following a high-speed chase that escalated quickly during a traffic stop. Christopher Baldner, who is 52, was acquitted of murder charges last week but left with unresolved manslaughter allegations after a jury deadlocked on that specific count.
On Thursday, the jury acquitted Baldner of seven out of eight charges after four days of deliberations. Judge Bryan Rounds subsequently declared a mistrial for the manslaughter charge, stating that a new trial will be scheduled for that count. Baldner’s acquittals on the other charges remain intact.
The incident in question occurred on the night of December 22, 2020, when Baldner initiated a traffic stop on a Dodge Journey driven by Tristin Goods for speeding on the New York State Thruway. Goods was traveling with his wife and two daughters, heading north from New York City for the holidays. After an argument ensued, Baldner used pepper spray against Goods, who then fled the scene, triggering a high-speed pursuit.
According to prosecutors, Baldner rammed the SUV twice, causing it to lose control and flip over, resulting in the tragic death of Monica Goods, the 11-year-old passenger. Prosecutors characterized Baldner’s actions as a “fatal abuse of power.”
The defense argued that Baldner was responding to an uncooperative driver and claimed that the fatal crash stemmed from Goods’ actions. Defense attorney Anthony Ricco stated that Goods overcorrected his steering after lightly colliding with Baldner’s vehicle. Baldner had radioed in during the incident, stating that the SUV had struck his car.
In a dramatic twist, Tristin Goods testified that he was “scared for my life” after the trooper used pepper spray, which led him to drive away from the stop. He also acknowledged that his beliefs aligned with certain sovereign citizen ideologies, which contributed to his refusal to comply with Baldner’s demands for identification.
In addition to the recent charges, Baldner was acquitted of three reckless endangerment counts from a separate incident in 2019, where he was accused of ramming another vehicle on the Thruway, causing it to crash. The defense contended that the SUV may have slowed down before impact.
Baldner, who retired from the force in 2022 after almost two decades of service, has been released on bail set at $100,000. As part of his release, he was previously under home confinement, which the judge has now lifted.
The New York attorney general’s office has expressed its intent to pursue the retrial, reaffirming its commitment to holding Baldner accountable in court. As the case approaches its next phase, the community remains focused on the tragic loss of a young life.