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Ex-Trooper Gets 7.5 Years for Fatal Chase Crash
2 Jun
Summary
- Former trooper sentenced to 2.5 to 7.5 years in prison.
- He rammed an SUV during a high-speed chase, killing an 11-year-old.
- The incident occurred in December 2020 on the New York State Thruway.

Christopher Baldner, a 47-year-old former New York state trooper, received a sentence of 2½ to 7½ years in prison on Tuesday. This sentence is a consequence of his conviction for manslaughter in the December 2020 death of 11-year-old Monica Goods. The incident involved Baldner ramming the SUV in which Goods was a passenger during a high-speed chase.
Prosecutors stated that Baldner rammed the SUV twice on the New York State Thruway, leading to the vehicle losing control and flipping. Baldner, who had nearly 20 years of service with the state police before retiring in 2022, was taken to jail immediately following the sentencing in Ulster County.
The fatal incident occurred on December 22, 2020, when Baldner initially pulled over Monica Goods' father for speeding. An altercation ensued, during which Baldner pepper-sprayed the inside of the vehicle before the father drove off. Baldner then pursued the SUV.