Crews work the scene of a head-on collision on the 900 block of Maine Street on Sept. 7, 2012.

The case of Justin M. Crawford — stemming from a serious wreck at Ninth and Maine streets more than five years ago — has encountered another twist in its path toward resolution.

After undergoing one competency evaluation earlier this month, Crawford, 45, of Topeka, is to be re-evaluated to determine whether he is competent to stand trial, pursuant to a court order this week.

A jury heard Crawford’s case in April 2015, but that ended in a mistrial. Crawford failed to appear for two ensuing scheduled jury trials. He also is on his fourth court-appointed attorney in the case, after firing the last one in late August.

Crawford’s new appointed attorney, Hatem Chahine, filed the motion for his client to be screened for competency.

Justin M. Crawford

On Wednesday, during a competency hearing before Douglas County District Court Judge Kay Huff, a Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center evaluator said she believed Crawford was not competent to participate in his defense.

However, she said she was unable to reach a “solid” diagnostic finding. She said she couldn’t complete the in-person portion of her evaluation because Crawford “became extremely upset and agitated and argumentative.”

The wreck happened about 2:15 p.m. Sept. 7, 2012, in the 900 block of Maine Street. Crawford reportedly flew through the stoplight at a high rate of speed, crossed the center line and hit another car head-on. In the other car were friends Jean Drumm, then 67, and Lin Stearns, 49, both of Lawrence.

Emergency crews had to extricate all three from their vehicles.

Crawford was flown to the University of Kansas hospital in Kansas City, Kan., where he spent more than two weeks. Drumm spent about a month hospitalized before moving to a rehabilitation facility. The wreck broke several bones in one of Stearns’ legs.

Criminal charges against Crawford were filed in April 2014: two felony counts of aggravated battery, for recklessly causing great bodily harm to Drumm and Stearns; and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.

Crawford had medical and mental health problems that were worsened by the wreck and pain medications prescribed for his resulting injuries, his father has said.

Crawford — who is now jailed — attended Wednesday’s hearing in a wheelchair.

Sara Godinez said her evaluation of Crawford indicated he suffers from severe mental illness and has difficulty explaining things in a “linear and cohesive fashion.” She said she believed substance abuse, namely opioid painkillers, has exacerbated those problems.

“While he seems to have an adequate understanding of the legal process … his thought processes were not adequately organized to be able to participate in making his own defense,” she said.

Crawford does not have another court hearing scheduled at this time.