Bond set for man accused of robbing, shooting Covington County watermelon vendor

COVINGTON COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) - Authorities were looking for a man wanted for robbing and shooting a man selling watermelons on Highway 49 in Covington County over the weekend.

Officials say Kevin Drummond turned himself in Monday evening. He was wanted for aggravated assault and armed robbery.

Drummond appeared in court and was given a $25,000 bond for the armed robbery charge and a $100,000 bond for the aggravated assault charge.

The produce trade on 49 between Jackson and Hattiesburg does well. Just today, Jimmy Dale of Lyle had a traveling party from Texas stop and make his day.

“We made a trip and we were on our way back when we saw the watermelons, so we bought them out,” said Devin Smith, of Dallas. They left Dale just one watermelon, loading the rest of his inventory into their two SUVs, some under clothing and luggage, some riding loose in the back seat.

But there have been times that it wasn’t such a good day. A while back, Jimmy was robbed, and he said he was lucky.

“I just gave them the money I had and they left, but you know they shot the man Saturday,” he said.

“That man” was David Herring, said his brother-in-law Ronald Smith. Herring, a retiree, makes his money in the watermelon trade. He was shot in the hip during a struggle over the money he had made that day selling watermelons. But he put up a fight.

“He did get one lick on them, I don’t know where,” said Ronald Smith. “But he did get one hit on them and once they fell to the ground he was reaching in his pockets trying to get his money and while he was on the ground is when they shot him.”

But now Herring is out of the hospital and ready to get back at the produce business.

“He’s doing really good. He’s in good spirits, He’s kinda anxious to get back out here but we’re trying to keep him home as much as possible to get him healed up,” said Smith.

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