photo by: Kim Callahan

Emergency crews respond after a car struck the Big Mill restaurant at Ninth and Mississippi streets on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.

No plea deal is in sight for the Lawrence man accused of drunkenly crashing his car into a Lawrence restaurant more than two years ago and injuring multiple diners.

The defendant, Brandon Lee Vess, 31, appeared Friday in Douglas County District Court for a conference ahead of his scheduled Feb. 3 trial. Judge Sally Pokorny in October had warned Vess, who is out on bond and has a history of missing court dates, that if he missed another hearing she would jail him.

photo by: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Brandon Vess

Vess is facing three felony counts of aggravated battery while driving under the influence, as well as misdemeanor counts of having no proof of insurance and reckless driving.

He’s accused of crashing into Big Mill restaurant, 900 Mississippi St., on Nov. 4, 2022, which heavily damaged the early 20th century building, knocking out part of a wall and shattering large glass windows, resulting in injuries to three people. Police said that Vess had been driving 58 mph in a 30 mph zone on a rainy night with slick road conditions. His blood alcohol content was .16, twice the legal limit, according to his arrest affidavit.

On Friday, Vess’ attorney, Nicholas Hayes, told Pokorny that the only plea offer ever extended had been for Vess to plead to all felony counts in the case — an offer that Vess has refused.

Vess has two previous DUI convictions, one in March of 2017 and another in April of 2023, as the Journal-World reported.

On Sept. 9, 2024, just weeks before his scheduled October trial — the third time a trial had been set, then canceled — he was cited for driving without registration and without insurance while his license had been canceled or suspended, in addition to other alleged infractions.

photo by: Submitted

A vehicle that hit the Big Mill restaurant at Ninth and Mississippi streets is shown shortly after the accident on Nov. 4, 2022.

photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Big Mill restaurant is pictured Saturday morning, Nov. 5, 2022, the night after a vehicle crashed into the building at the corner of Ninth and Mississippi streets.