(A) Immediate report of accident.
(1) The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or property damage to an apparent extent of $25 or more, shall immediately by the quickest means of communication, either verbal or written, give notice of the accident to the Police Department if the accident occurs within this city.
(2) It shall be unlawful for the driver or any other person to remove the vehicle from the scene of the accident until authorized to do so by a police officer of the Police Department of this city; provided, however, that the foregoing portion of this division (A)(2) shall not apply if there exists or arises a duty on the part of the driver or other person in control of the vehicle to use the vehicle in carrying any person injured in the accident to a physician or surgeon for medical or surgical treatment.
(3) The Police Department of this city, acting by any officer of the traffic division or the Chief of Police, may require any driver of a vehicle involved in an accident of which report must be made as provided in these sections to make supplemental oral or written report, whenever the original report is found to be insufficient, or inadequate in the opinion of the officer, and may require witnesses of accidents to render reports to the department.
(4) Every law enforcement officer, other than members of the Canton Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety, who in the regular course of duty investigates a motor vehicle accident of which report must be made as required in this section, either at the time of and at the scene of the accident or thereafter by interviewing participants or witnesses shall, within 24 hours after completing the investigation, forward a written report of the accident to the Police Department of this city. Every such accident report shall be made on the appropriate form provided by the department and shall contain all of the information required therein unless not available. The reports shall be without prejudice to the officer so reporting and shall be available to the parties to the accident or their authorized agents to receive same.
(B) When driver unable to report. Whenever the driver of a vehicle is physically incapable of making a required accident report and there was another occupant in the vehicle at the time of the accident capable of making report, the occupant shall make or cause to be made the report.
(C) Driver of wrecker trucks not to interfere with police investigation of accidents. It shall be unlawful for the driver or any person in charge, of any vehicle equipped with a crane, hoist, winch or towing device, who has answered a call to, or is attending the scene of, any collision or accident of one or more vehicles on any highway in this city, to remove, or attempt to remove, any vehicle involved in the collision or accident, or in any way to interfere with or change the position of any such vehicle, except upon authority or direction and in the presence of a police officer of this city, unless the change is made or attempted for the purpose of releasing a person or persons imprisoned within or under the vehicle involved in the collision or accident, provided further, that it shall be unlawful for the driver, or person in charge, of any such vehicle equipped with a crane, hoist, winch, or towing device to remove any vehicle from the scene of accident or collision without the consent of the owner of the vehicle so removed, unless directed by a police officer to remove the vehicle as a public safety measure or for the protection of private property.
(D) Accident involving damage to vehicle. The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close thereto as possible but shall forthwith return to and in every event remain at the scene of the accident until he or she has given his or her name, address and registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving and shall upon request if available exhibit his or her operator’s, commercial operator’s or chauffeur’s license to the driver of occupant of or person attending any vehicle collided with.
(E) Duty upon striking unattended vehicle. The driver of any vehicle which collides with and damages any vehicle which is unattended shall immediately stop and shall then and there either locate and notify the operator or owner of the vehicle of the name and address of the driver and owner of the vehicle striking the unattended vehicle or shall leave in a conspicuous place in, or securely attached to and plainly visible, the vehicle struck a written notice giving the name and address of the driver and of the owner of the vehicle doing the striking and a statement of the circumstances thereof, and shall make report of the accident when and as required in division (A) above.
(Ord. 64-12, passed 12-21-1964) Penalty, see § 70.99