Staff report

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Winzoir Van Durr, 75, of High Springs, has been sentenced to two years in state prison, followed by five years of probation, after entering a plea of nolo contendere to shooting at a man who was repossessing his daughter’s car.

On February 14, 2023, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call reporting that shots had been fired in the 14700 block of NW 270th Avenue. The victim’s employer said that an unknown man had shot at her employee while he was attempting to repossess a car.

The victim told the deputy that he had spoken to Durr at the door of his residence and Durr had asked what it would take to avoid the repossession; he said Durr then went back inside to get “paperwork,” and while the victim was backing up to leave, he heard a “pop.” He said he saw Durr near the front door of the residence, pointing a gun at him, and then heard five more shots. The victim said he then sped away, in fear for his life.

Post Miranda, Durr reportedly admitted knowing that his daughter was behind in payments on her car, and he admitted taking his gun from his office when he realized the recovery agent was leaving with his daughter’s car. Durr reportedly admitted firing a “warning shot,” then said he shot three more rounds at the tires to prevent the victim from leaving.

Durr, who had no criminal history, was released on bail after spending two days in jail, and on June 10, 2024, he entered a plea of nolo contendere to charges of shooting into a vehicle and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; Judge David Kreider accepted the open plea on November 25, 2024. According to the plea document, the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison.

Yesterday, Judge Kreider sentenced Durr to two concurrent sentences of two years in state prison, followed by five years of probation.

Durr was appointed to the Alachua County Historical Commission at the February 28, 2023, County Commission meeting, but after a member of the public told the board that Durr had been arrested, Commissioner Ken Cornell asked to change his vote later in the meeting, and the board selected a different applicant. On his application, Durr said he served in the Army and worked for the Smithsonian Institution in Human Resources.