The defendant in a felony drunk driving case in Taft has changed his plea.

Lonnie Neumann, who was 70 at the time of the incident, had entered a no contest plea to one felony count of drunk driving causing injury in exchange for another charge being dropped following a crash that injured a motorcycle rider on Hillard Street just south of Kern Street in October 2024.

Neumann was scheduled to be sentenced this week but apparently changed his mind about his plea and now faces trial on two felony counts: driving his pickup under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury and DUI with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

Neumann is free on $20,000 bail.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18.