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KINGSTON, N.Y. — <\/span>A former New York state trooper accused of ramming his vehicle into an SUV during a high-speed chase leading to the death of an 11-year-old girl was convicted of manslaughter Friday at his second trial.<\/p>\n Prosecutors say Christopher Baldner rammed the SUV twice on the New York State Thruway, causing it to lose control and flip over. Eleven-year-old Monica Goods, who was in the SUV, was killed in the December 2020 crash. Baldner\u2019s attorneys said the accident occurred after the SUV cut the trooper off as he pulled alongside during the pursuit.<\/p>\n A jury acquitted Baldner of murder<\/a> and reckless endangerment charges in November, but they deadlocked on a second-degree manslaughter charge. Judge Bryan Rounds declared a mistrial and a second trial on the lone remaining charge began last month.<\/p>\n Assistant State Attorney General Jennifer Gashi told jurors during Baldner\u2019s latest trial that he chose to \u201crecklessly use his patrol car as a weapon\u201d during the chase north of New York City. Defense attorney Anthony Ricco argued it was the driver of the SUV \u2014 Monica\u2019s father, Tristin Goods \u2014 who acted recklessly and caused her death, according to the<\/a> Daily Freeman.<\/p>\n Baldner pulled Tristin Goods over for speeding on the highway near Kingston the night of Dec. 22, 2020. Goods, his wife and two daughters were heading north from New York City to visit family.<\/p>\n Baldner and Goods argued, and the trooper pepper-sprayed the inside the vehicle. Goods drove off and Baldner pursued. <\/p>\n Defense attorneys said Goods collided with Baldner\u2019s trooper car twice during the pursuit. An accident reconstruction expert for the defense testified that Goods lost control of the SUV when he overcorrected after \u201ca very minor impact,\u201d the newspaper reported.<\/a><\/p>\n The ex-trooper retired in 2022 after almost 20 years with the state police.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n