New York State Trooper Christopher Baldner already had a history of using his car as a weapon in violation of departmental policy when he rammed his patrol vehicle into an SUV he was pursuing, killing 11-year-old Black girl Monica Goods.
On Tuesday, the former cop was sentenced to two and a half to seven and a half years in prison after he was convicted of manslaughter. His attorney plans to appeal the conviction, telling local media that Goods’ father was to blame for her death.
But Goods would likely still be alive today had Baldner abided by departmental policy forbidding him from using his patrol car as a weapon without supervisory approval or “extraordinary” or “life-threatening” circumstances.
The incident took place on December 22, 2020, after Baldner pulled over Tristin Goods, Monica’s father, for speeding. Tristan’s wife, April Goods, was sitting in the passenger’s seat of the SUV and Good’s two daughters were sitting in the back.
The cop was not wearing a body camera, but recorded the interaction on his phone. The recording was presented in court but has not been publicly released in full, even though the New York Daily News published a detailed account of the audio in a 2023 article.
Lawsuit Claims Trooper Ignored Clear Policy
The audio revealed Goods refused to provide his driver’s license, invoking the “right to travel” argument used by so‑called sovereign citizens who claim they are under no legal obligation to obtain or present a license.
Baldner then ordered him out of the car, prompting Goods to ask for a supervisor, but Baldner pepper‑sprayed him.
Goods responded by driving away, prompting a pursuit that reached speeds of up to 130 mph before Baldner twice rammed the SUV less than a mile from the initial stop, causing it to hit a guardrail and flip over. The rollover ejected Monica, who was killed.
But Baldner lied to dispatch about the crash, telling the dispatcher that Goods had rammed him.
“When Trooper Baldner rammed the vehicle operated by Tristin Goods the second time, Trooper Baldner was performing ‘vehicle contact action’ within the meaning of New York State Police policy,” states the pending lawsuit filed by Monica’s mother, Michelle Surrency.
“When Trooper Baldner used his vehicle to ram the vehicle operated by Tristin Goods, Trooper Baldner was performing a maneuver disapproved and forbidden by the New York State Police.”
The lawsuit also describes two prior instances when Baldner violated policy by using this maneuver but was never disciplined by the department.
April Goods also filed a lawsuit, that states:
The overturned vehicle landed upon M.G., crushing her 11-year-old body and ultimately killing her.
M.G. died at the scene. Plaintiff was aware at the scene that M.G. had been killed as a result of the collision.
As a result of the collision caused by Trooper Baldner, Plaintiff suffered serious permanent traumatic physical injuries and emotional injuries.
At the scene, (Tristan) Goods was kept handcuffed and prevented by New York State Police personnel from consoling, or being consoled by, Plaintiff or his surviving daughter.
‘Please Help Me, My Baby’s Dying’
After the crash, Baldner’s audio recording captured him threatening to shoot Goods.
“Get your f_cking hands up or I’ll f_cking shoot you, motherf_cker!” he yelled. “Don’t f_cking move or I’ll f_cking shoot you, you son of a b_tch!”
But Goods was focused on his children, begging the cop to let him check on them.
“Please help me, my baby’s dying, man,” Goods pleaded. “Please. These my girls, I love them, man.”
“You f_cking hit me with the f_cking car,” Baldner claimed, even though other evidence indicates that is not true.
“I didn’t hit you,” Goods responded. “I swear to God.”
“You f_cking hit me, motherf_cker,” Baldner replied. “That’s what happens when you f_cking hit my car.”
“My kids are dying,” Goods responded.
“Please let me out, please, officer,” Goods continued to beg.
“I swear I won’t do nothing. I promise you. Can you let me out so I can help my kids, man?”
“You can’t get out,” Baldner replied. “You’re f_cking stuck.”
Father’s Desperate Pleas Were Captured on Audio
Baldner then asked Goods if he had any weapons, which he did not, and then cuffed him, as the Daily News described.
“You sprayed me and I got scared,” Goods told Baldner.
“I sprayed you because you don’t f_cking listen,” Baldner responded. “You have no respect.”
“You tried to kill me,” Goods replied.
“I didn’t try to kill you. You tried to kill me,” Baldner claimed.
Then, after realizing Monica had been killed, Goods became enraged.
“She died a horrible death because of you all,” Goods screamed.
“F_cking killing people for no reason. … You son of a b_tch. You going to die in hell. You are going to rot in f_cking hell because of this.”
Later in the record, Baldner concocted his narrative to supervisors, claiming that Goods grabbed his pepper spray and ran into him, but that does not appear to be true.
“So that’s when I pepper‑sprayed him. He grabbed my pepper spray and took off. He was all over the f_cking road,” Baldner claimed.
“He f_cking ran into me. He lost control, I lost control and this is where he f_cking ended up.”
Former Trooper Avoided Conviction
Baldner was indicted in October 2021 on charges of murder, manslaughter, and reckless endangerment. He was initially denied bail and jailed for 16 days. Then indicted on three counts of reckless endangerment for a 2019 incident where he rammed another car.
New York State Police suspended him without pay, and he retired in 2022.
Baldner then faced his first trial in 2025, where a jury acquitted him of the murder and reckless endangerment charges from the Goods case, as well as the three counts of reckless endangerment from the 2019 incident.
But the jury was deadlocked on the manslaughter charge, resulting in a mistrial.
Second Jury Reached a Different Verdict
His second trial took place in March, when he was tried on a single count of manslaughter and convicted.
Under New York law, Baldner’s sentence means he must serve at least two and a half years before he becomes eligible for parole, and he cannot serve more than seven and a half years even if parole is denied.
Despite his violation of departmental policies, the president of the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers, Charles W. Murphy, told local media that Baldner was “simply following his training when he responded to a rapidly evolving and highly dangerous situation.”
“This outcome sends a troubling message to all law enforcement officers who must make split-second decisions to protect the public,” Murphy said in a written statement, apparently shocked that a cop was held accountable for his actions.
And despite the verdict and sentencing, Goods’ mother, Michelle Surrency, is still suffering the loss of her child.
“No matter what the verdict is, my child still never comes back,” she told local media after his conviction in March.
“So there’s no real justice in this. It’s accountability, but it’s not justice. Justice is my child being back.”