Any law enforcement officer is authorized to remove or cause removal from the streets, highways, sidewalks, or other property open to the public for the purpose of vehicular traffic or parking:
(a) Any vehicle parked, left standing or abandoned thereon in violation of any of the specific terms of this Traffic Code.
(b) When any motor vehicle, including an abandoned junk motor vehicle, as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63, is left on private residential property, or on private agricultural property, for at least four (4) consecutive hours without the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property, or on a public street or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel, or upon or within the right-of-way of any road or highway, for forty-eight (48) consecutive hours or longer, without notification to the Police Chief of the reasons for leaving such vehicle in such place, except that when such a motor vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic, it may be ordered into storage immediately.
(c) Any vehicle that has been reported stolen.
(d) Any vehicle from which the driver has been arrested, or any vehicle operated by a person who refused to obey the instruction of any police officer after such person has been placed under arrest.
(e) Any vehicle from which the driver or operator has been removed due to illness or injury.
(f) Any vehicle which, in the impounding authorities' opinion, creates a condition which presents a risk of physical harm to persons or property including vehicles which, without authorization, release, discharge, or leak substances into or upon the environment.
(g) Any vehicle operated by a person while engaged in, or connected with, the commission of a crime.
(h) Any vehicle operated by a person without an operator's license, or during period of suspension, cancellation, or revocation of such license.
(i) Any vehicle that has been involved in an accident and the driver/operator has failed to stop after such accident.
(j) Any vehicle that fails to comply with the provisions of this Traffic Code relative to equipment.
(k) When any vehicle displays illegal license plates or fails to display the current lawfully required license plates.
(l) Any vehicle abandoned after an accident on public or private property away from the owner's residence; and/or vehicle has been damaged or wrecked so as to be inoperable or violates equipment provisions of this Traffic Code whereby its continued operation would constitute a condition hazardous to life, limb or property.
(m) When any vehicle is left unattended upon any street, bridge or causeway and is so illegally parked so as to constitute a hazard or obstruction to the normal movement of traffic, or so as to unreasonably interfere with street cleaning or snow removal operations. (Ord. 2022-05. Passed 2-28-22.)