Court merges trial dates for two suspects in fatal drive-by

Trial dates have been consolidated for two suspects accused in a fatal drive-by shooting in Ashdown, Ark.

The trials have been consolidated for Joshua King, 20, and Brady Winship, 19, both of Sevier County, Ark.

King and Winship have been charged with the July 16, 2017, shooting of Desmond Smith, 19, who died of a gunshot wound to the chest. Samari Covington, 19, was wounded in the arm but has recovered.

King and Winship are scheduled to have a pretrial hearing April 3 and a trial date of April 16 in Little River County Courthouse in Ashdown.

“It will save time and money to bring the medical examiner down and the lab people who will testify,” Deputy Prosecutor Al Smith said. The attorneys agreed to the consolidation for King and Winship.

Tenescha Wilkerson, 18, is also charged in the fatal shooting and has a pretrial date of May 1 and a trial date of May 21.

The charges include:

■ King—murder in the second degree, battery in the first degree and unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle

■ Winship—accomplice to murder in the second degree, battery in the first degree and unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle

■ Wilkerson—accomplice to murder in the sec-

ond degree, battery in the first degree and unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle

A juvenile was also charged as an accomplice. Information regarding the juvenile was not released.

Ashdown police were dispatched to a home at 195 Washington St. about 1 a.m. July 16 regarding a shooting.

According to initial reports, several people in a red Dodge Charger drove by the home looking for someone.

All four suspects said during interviews that King wanted to stop at the house so they could fight, according to the arrest affidavit. Winship allegedly drove the vehicle to the Davis residence to fight.

Several people came out of the Davis residence and were frightened by the group. At least two suspects reportedly said that King fired a weapon at the group from the vehicle as Winship was driving away.

An officer recovered a 9 mm shell casing at the scene and notified the surrounding law enforcement agencies.

The suspected vehicle was stopped by Sevier County Sheriff’s Office deputies and a De Queen police officer several hours later near De Queen.

The four occupants of the car were taken into custody without incident.