(a) (1) The chief of a law enforcement agency of the municipal corporation, upon complaint of any person adversely affected may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63, that has been left on private residential or private agricultural property for at least four hours without the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property. The chief, upon complaint of a repair garage or place of storage, may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle, that has been left at the garage or place of storage for a longer period than that agreed upon. When ordering a motor vehicle into storage pursuant to this section, the chief may arrange for the removal of the motor vehicle by a towing service and shall designate a storage facility.
(2) A towing service towing a motor vehicle under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall remove the motor vehicle in accordance with that subsection. The towing service shall deliver the motor vehicle to the location designated by the chief not more than two hours after the time it is removed from the private property, unless the towing service is unable to deliver the motor vehicle within two hours due to an uncontrollable force, natural disaster, or other event that is not within the power of the towing service.
(3) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that has been removed pursuant to this subsection may recover the vehicle only in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.
(4) As used in this section "private residential property" means private property on which is located one or more structures that are used as a home, residence or sleeping place by one or more persons, if no more than three separate households are maintained in the structure or structures. "Private residential property" does not include any private property on which is located one or more structures that are used as a home, residence or sleeping place by two or more persons, if more than three separate households are maintained in the structure or structures.
(b) If the owner or operator of a motor vehicle that has been ordered into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section arrives after the motor vehicle has been prepared for removal, but prior to its actual removal from the property, the towing service shall give the owner or operator oral or written notification at the time of such arrival that the vehicle owner or operator may pay a fee of not more than one-half of the fee for the removal of the motor vehicle established by the Public Utilities Commission in rules adopted under Ohio R.C. 4921.25, in order to obtain release of the motor vehicle. However, if the vehicle is within a municipal corporation and the municipal corporation has established a vehicle removal fee, the towing service shall give
the owner or operator oral or written notification that the owner or operator may pay not more than one-half of that fee to obtain release of the motor vehicle. That fee may be paid by use of a major credit card unless the towing service uses a mobile credit card processor and mobile service is not available at the time of the transaction.
Upon payment of the applicable fee, the towing service shall give the vehicle owner or operator a receipt showing both the full amount normally assessed and the actual amount received and shall release the motor vehicle to the owner or operator. Upon its release, the owner or operator immediately shall move it so that it is not on the private residential or private agricultural property without the permission of the person having the right to possession of the property, or is not at the garage or place of storage without the permission of the owner, whichever is applicable.
(c) (1) The chief of a law enforcement agency in the municipal corporation shall maintain a record of motor vehicles that the chief orders into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section. The record shall include an entry for each such motor vehicle that identifies the motor vehicle’s license number, make, model and color, the location from which it was removed, the date and time of its removal, the telephone number of the person from whom it may be recovered, and the address of the place to which it has been taken and from which it may be recovered. The chief shall provide any information in the record that pertains to a particular motor vehicle to any person who, either in person or pursuant to a telephone call, identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(2) Any person who registers a complaint that is the basis of the chief’s order for the removal and storage of a motor vehicle under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall provide the identity of the law enforcement agency with which the complaint was registered to any person who identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(d) (1) The owner or lienholder of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section may reclaim it upon both of the following:
A. Payment of all applicable fees established by the Public Utilities Commission in rules adopted under Ohio R.C. 4921.25 or, if the vehicle was towed within a municipal corporation that has established fees for vehicle removal and storage, payment of all applicable fees established by the municipal corporation.
B. Presentation of proof of ownership, which may be evidenced by a certificate of title to the motor vehicle, a certificate of registration for the motor vehicle, or a lease agreement.
(2) When the owner of a vehicle towed under this section retrieves the vehicle, the towing service or storage facility in possession of the vehicle shall give the owner written notice that if the owner disputes that the motor vehicle was lawfully towed, the owner may be able to file a civil action under Ohio R.C. 4513.611.
(3) Upon presentation of proof of ownership as required under subsection (d)(1)B. of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage under subsection (a)(1) of this section may retrieve any personal items from the motor vehicle without retrieving the vehicle and without paying any fee. However, a towing service or storage facility may charge an after-hours retrieval fee established by the Public Utilities Commission in rules adopted under Ohio R.C. 4921.25 if the owner retrieves the personal items after hours, unless the towing service or storage facility fails to provide the notice required under division (B)(3) of Ohio R.C. 4513.69, if applicable. The owner of a motor vehicle shall not do either of the following:
A. Retrieve any personal item that has been determined by the chief to be necessary to a criminal investigation;
B. Retrieve any personal item from a vehicle if it would endanger the safety of the owner unless the owner agrees to sign a waiver of liability.
For purposes of subsection (d)(2) of this section, “personal items” do not include any items that are attached to the motor vehicle.
(4) If a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section remains unclaimed by the owner for thirty days, the procedures established by Ohio R.C. 4513.61 and 4513.62 apply.
(e) (1) No person shall remove, or cause the removal of, any motor vehicle from any private residential or private agricultural property other than in accordance with subsection (a)(1) of this section or Ohio R.C. 4513.61 to 4513.65.
(2) No towing service or storage facility shall fail to comply with the requirements of this section.
(f) This section does not apply to any private residential or private agricultural property that is established as a private tow-away zone in accordance with Section 303.082.
(g) Whoever violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4513.60)