Trooper no longer faces murder charge in fatal Thruway chase

KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) — A judge has dropped a murder charge against a state trooper in the death of an 11-year-old girl during a high-speed chase on the New York State Thruway. Christopher Baldner still faces a second-degree manslaughter charge and other counts stemming from the Dec. 22, 2020 highway chase north of New York City that led to the death of Monica Goods. Ulster County Judge Bryan Rounds ruled Thursday that evidence was unable to prove Baldner acted with “depraved indifference to human life” when he rammed the vehicle.