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Jury selection continues Wednesday (February 18) in the manslaughter retrial of former New York State Trooper Christopher Baldner in Ulster County Court. Seven jurors were seated Tuesday, but five more are needed before the trial can proceed.
Baldner faces second-degree manslaughter charges in connection with the December 2020 death of 11-year-old Monica Goods. The case stems from a high-speed chase on the New York State Thruway that ended in tragedy when the vehicle carrying Goods crashed and flipped over.
According to Spectrum News, prosecutors allege Baldner twice rammed his police cruiser into the SUV driven by Tristan Goods, Monica's father, during a pursuit that reached speeds of approximately 120 mph. The second impact allegedly caused the vehicle to go off the roadway and roll over, partially ejecting Monica and resulting in her death.
This is Baldner's second trial in connection with the incident. In November 2025, a jury acquitted him of second-degree murder and reckless endangerment charges but deadlocked on the manslaughter charge, resulting in a mistrial on that count. The Daily Freeman reports that the jury deliberated for more than 15 hours over three days before declaring themselves "hopelessly deadlocked" on the manslaughter charge.
The incident began when Baldner, then a 19-year veteran of the state police, pulled over Tristan Goods for allegedly speeding. The traffic stop escalated into a confrontation, with Goods refusing to provide his license and registration, claiming to be a "sovereign citizen" not subject to traffic laws. After Baldner deployed pepper spray into the vehicle, Goods fled the scene with his family, including Monica, her sister, and her mother.
Expert testimony regarding crash reconstruction is expected to play a crucial role in the retrial. During the first trial, prosecution experts testified that Baldner did not attempt to avoid the collision, while defense experts countered that data showed Baldner took evasive action, including braking before impact.
The Shawangunk Journal reported that the previous jury was split six-to-six on the manslaughter charge. To convict Baldner of manslaughter, the new jury must find that he engaged in reckless conduct that created a substantial risk of death and that he consciously disregarded that risk.
Baldner remains free on $100,000 bail pending the outcome of the trial, which is expected to take several days to complete. If convicted of second-degree manslaughter, a Class C felony, he faces a minimum sentence of one-and-a-half to three years in state prison and a maximum of three to 15 years.