CHAPTER 303
Enforcement, Impounding and Penalty
303.01   Traffic direction in emergencies; obedience to school guard.
303.02   Application to drivers of government vehicles.
303.03   Impounding of vehicles; redemption.
303.04   Public and private property.
303.99   General Traffic Code penalties.
303.991   Committing an offense while distracted penalty.
 
CROSS REFERENCES
See sectional histories for similar State law
Disposition of unclaimed vehicles - see Ohio R.C. 737.32, 4513.62 et seq.
Citations for minor misdemeanors - see Ohio R.C. 2935.26 et seq.
Power of trial court of record to suspend or revoke license for certain violations - see Ohio R.C. 4507.16, 4507.34
State point system suspension - see Ohio R.C. 4507.40
Uniform application of Ohio Traffic Law - see Ohio R.C. 4511.06
Marking motor vehicles used by traffic officers - see Ohio R.C. 4549.13
Distinctive uniform required for traffic officers - see Ohio R.C. 4549.15
 
303.01 TRAFFIC DIRECTION IN EMERGENCIES; OBEDIENCE TO SCHOOL GUARD.
   (a)   Police officers shall direct or regulate traffic in accordance with the provisions of this Traffic Code, provided that, in the event of fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or safeguard pedestrians, they are authorized to direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of this Traffic Code. Firemen, when at the scene of a fire, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity. The direction of traffic may be by word or audible signal, by gesture or visible signal or by any combination thereof. No person shall fail to comply with any lawful order or direction of any police officer or fireman issued pursuant to this section.
   (b)   No person shall fail to comply with any lawful order or direction of any school crossing guard invested with authority to direct, control or regulate traffic in the vicinity of the school to which such guard may be assigned.
   (c)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
303.02 APPLICATION TO DRIVERS OF GOVERNMENT VEHICLES.
   The provisions of this Traffic Code applicable to the drivers of vehicles shall apply to the drivers of all vehicles owned or operated by the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof, including this Municipality, except as may be otherwise provided by law and subject to such specific exceptions as are set forth with reference to authorized emergency and public safety vehicles.
303.03 IMPOUNDING OF VEHICLES; REDEMPTION.
   (a)   Law Enforcement Officers are authorized to provide for the removal of a vehicle under the following circumstances:
      (1)   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.
      (2)   When any vehicle or "abandoned junk motor vehicle" as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63 is left on private property for more than forty-eight 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 parking, or upon or within the right of way of any road or highway, for forty-eight consecutive hours or longer, without notification to the Sheriff of the reasons for leaving such vehicle in such place. Prior to disposal of an "abandoned junk motor vehicle" as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63, it shall be photographed by a law enforcement officer.
      (3)   When any vehicle has been stolen or operated without the consent of the owner and is located upon either public or private property.
      (4)   When any vehicle displays illegal license plates or fails to display the current lawfully required plates and is located upon any public street or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
      (5)   When any vehicle has been used in or connected with the commission of a felony and is located upon either public or private property.
      (6)   When any 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, and is located upon any public street or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
      (7)   When any vehicle is left unattended either on public or private property due to the removal of an ill, injured or arrested operator, or due to the abandonment thereof by the operator during or immediately after pursuit by a law enforcement officer.
      (8)   When any vehicle has been operated by any person who has failed to stop in case of an accident or collision and is located either on public or private property.
      (9)   When any vehicle has been operated by any person who is driving without a lawful license or while his license has been suspended or revoked and is located upon a public street or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
      (10)   When any vehicle is found for which two or more citation tags for violations of this Traffic Code have been issued and the owner or operator thereof has failed to respond to such citation tags as lawfully required, and is located upon a public street or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking.
   (b)   Any vehicle removed under authority of subsection (a)(2) hereof shall be ordered into storage and/or disposed of as provided under Ohio R.C. 4513.60 et seq. Any other vehicle removed under authority of this section shall be ordered into storage and the Municipal police shall forthwith notify the registered vehicle owner of the fact of such removal and impounding, reasons therefor and the place of storage. Any person desiring to redeem an impounded vehicle shall appear at the police offices to furnish satisfactory evidence of identity and ownership or right to possession. Prior to issuance of a release form, the claimant, owner or operator shall either pay the amount due for any fines for violations on account of which such vehicle was impounded or, as the court may require, post a bond in an amount set by the court, to appear to answer to such violations. The pound operator shall release such vehicle upon the receipt of the release form and payment of all towage and storage charges.
   (c)   No owner or operator shall remove an impounded vehicle from the place of storage without complying with the above procedure. Possession of a vehicle which has been impounded and unlawfully taken from the place of storage, by the owner or operator, shall constitute prima-facie evidence that it was so removed by the owner or operator.
   (d)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. (Ord. 33-16. Passed 10-11-16.)
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