(a) Owner or operator designation of tow company. When a police officer investigating an accident collision determines that any vehicle which has been involved in a collision or accident upon a public roadway is unable to proceed safely under its own power, or when the owner or operator of a vehicle is physically unable to drive such vehicle or if a vehicle in safe condition must be removed from a public roadway, such officer shall request the owner or operator to designate in writing or while being recorded, the person or tow company the owner or operator desires to remove the vehicle. Said tow company must have a valid tow license and valid rotation permit issued under this article. When the owner has designated the towing company desired, the police officer shall communicate that fact to dispatch and the person receiving the communication at police communications shall call the designated company to send a tow truck to the scene of the accident, disabled vehicle, incident or arrest, making it clear that it was at the owner's request.
(b) Failure or inability to designate a tow company or arrested driver. In the event the owner of a vehicle described in subsection (a) of this section is physically unable to designate the tow company desired or refuses to designate one, the investigating officer shall communicate that fact immediately to dispatch who will then contact the designated on-call company to send a tow truck to the scene of the accident or collision. The officer also has discretion to call for a non-consent tow if the driver of the vehicle is taken into police custody. In the case of an abandoned motor vehicle, as described in Section 683.002, Texas Transportation Code, the procedure for handling abandoned motor vehicles shall be governed by said statute in addition to the provisions of this article.
(Ord. No. 007-2023, § 3, 1-10-2023)