55°
The incident occurred in Ulster County on I-87 in Kingston on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, around 11:30 p.m.
In a statement released by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday, Sept. 19, James said the charges of murder, depraved indifference murder, and reckless endangerment had been reinstated against former Trooper Christopher Baldner in connection with the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods, of Brooklyn.
According to James, while on patrol along the New York State Thruway in Ulster County, Baldner allegedly used his police vehicle to ram an SUV occupied by four members of the Goods family, resulting in the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods.
The reckless endangerment charges also include a separate incident in September 2019 where the former trooper allegedly used his police vehicle to ram a different passenger car, endangering the lives of the three passengers.
“As a former State Trooper, Christopher Baldner was responsible for serving and protecting the people of New York, but the indictment alleges that he violated that sacred oath and used his vehicle as a deadly weapon, resulting in the senseless death of a young girl.
“While nothing can return Monica Goods to her family’s loving arms, this decision from the court will enable my office to continue our efforts to seek some semblance of justice for the Goods family," James said.
Initially charged in Oct. 2021, the charges were dismissed in Feb. 2023 by an Ulster County Court judge who ruled the evidence presented to the grand jury on the murder charge was insufficient. James then successfully appealed that ruling, resulting in the reinstatement of charges.
During the stop for speeding, Baldner is said to have yelled at the family and pepper sprayed the entire SUV twice. Then, when Goods' father sped off, fearing for their lives, Baldner rammed the vehicle twice with his police cruiser, causing it to flip over, ejecting Monica, and the SUV landed on top of her, court records show.
The Attorney General's office did not say if Baldner had been re-arrested or when that would happen.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Kinderhook-Valatie and receive free news updates.
