KINGSTON — A state trooper from Greene County will remain in the Ulster County Jail following his indictment for murder and other charges Wednesday by an Ulster County grand jury.
A bail hearing for Christopher Baldner, 43, of Durham, is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Baldner was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter and first-degree reckless endangerment, state Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday.
The indictment alleges that Baldner, while on patrol on the New York State Thruway in Ulster County, in December 2020, used his state police vehicle to ram a car that was occupied by four members of the Goods family, which caused the car to flip over, resulting in the death of their 11-year-old daughter, Monica Goods, James said.
“Police officers are entrusted to protect and serve, but Trooper Baldner allegedly violated that trust when he used his car as a deadly weapon and killed a young girl,” James said. “While nothing will bring Monica back, we must hold law enforcement to the highest standards, which is why my office is committed to seeking justice in this case.”
A state police spokesman said Baldner surrendered Wednesday morning and has been suspended without pay. State police said they investigated the matter and have been cooperating with the attorney general’s office and will continue to do so.
The indictment also alleges that, in a separate incident, in September 2019, Baldner similarly endangered the lives of three passengers by using his police vehicle to ram their car.
Baldner was arraigned before Judge Bryan Rounds in Ulster County Court and sent to the Ulster County Jail, where he was held without bail.
The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association is providing legal representation for Baldner.
New York State Troopers PBA President Thomas H. Mungeer released a statement Wednesday.
“The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association sends our condolences to the family of the child who died in the December 2020 crash. We respect the legal process and are preparing for the next step, which will be to provide legal representation to the involved trooper, a right afforded to every American citizen tried by a jury of peers. As this case makes its way through the legal system, we look forward to a review and public release of the facts, including the motorist’s reckless actions that started this chain of events,” Mungeer said.
Second-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
A civil suit filed in the case earlier this year continues to move forward, attorney Sanford Rubenstein of Rubenstein and Rynecki in Brooklyn said Thursday.
“The wrongful death suit, which was filed against the state in March, in the state Court of Claims, holds the State of New York liable in money damages for the wrongful actions of State Trooper Christopher Baldner,” Rubenstein said in a statement.
The case is awaiting the appointment of Monica Goods’ mother, Michelle Surrency, as administrator of the Goods estate, which is pending in Brooklyn Court, Rubenstein said.
There is no video footage of the traffic stop or the resulting chase, the state Attorney General’s office said.
Last year, the state Legislature approved a bill requiring state police to provide its troopers with body cameras. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law, but
the law did not take effect until April 1 of this year, when the state began deploying the cameras.