(A) (1) An abandoned or illegally parked vehicle may be removed by the owner or operator of the vehicle at any time prior to the vehicle becoming physically attached to a wrecker or tow truck.
(2) After a vehicle has been physically attached to a wrecker, but before the wrecker has left the scene, the owner or operator of the vehicle may take possession of the vehicle only on payment to the wrecker driver of a reasonable fee in return for which the wrecker driver shall issue a release to the owner or operator. Such release shall be in the form of a receipt, signed by the driver of the wrecker, acknowledging the applicable payment. Upon the request of the Police Department, each driver of a city wrecker and driver or owner of each contract wrecker shall make a report to the Police Department of each such release issued during the preceding twenty-four (24) hour period, and shall remit with the report all fees collected during that period.
(B) Neither the removal of a vehicle by an owner or operator as referred to in division (A)(1), nor the issuance of the release referred to in division (A)(2), shall be construed as relieving the owner or operator of any such vehicle from responsibility for any violation of the traffic code with which he or she may be charged.
(Am. Ord. 2023-08-01, passed 9-14-23)