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404.05   FREEWAY USE PROHIBITED BY PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLES AND ANIMALS.
   (a)   No person, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:
      (1)   As a pedestrian, occupy any space within the limits of the right-of-way of a freeway, except: in a rest area; on a facility that is separated from the roadway and shoulders of the freeway and is designed and appropriately marked for pedestrian use; in the performance of public works or official duties; as a result of an emergency caused by an accident or breakdown of a motor vehicle; or to obtain assistance.
      (2)   Occupy any space within the limits of the right-of-way of a freeway, with: an animal-drawn vehicle; a ridden or led animal; herded animals; a pushcart; a bicycle, except on a facility that is separated from the roadway and shoulders of the freeway and is designed and appropriately marked for bicycle use; an electric bicycle; a bicycle with motor attached; a motor-driven cycle with a motor which produces not to exceed five (5) brake horsepower; an agricultural tractor; farm machinery; except in the performance of public works or official duties.
   (b)   Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one (1) year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one (1) predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one (1) year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two (2) or more predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
   (c)   If the offender commits the offense while distracted and the distracting activity is a contributing factor to the commission of the offense, the offender is subject to the additional fine established under § 408.02(b).
(R.C. § 4511.051)
404.06   IMPOUNDING OF VEHICLES; REDEMPTION.
   (a)   Police officers are authorized to provide for the removal and impounding 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 motor vehicle, including an abandoned junk motor vehicle, as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63, is left on private residential property, as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.60, or on private agricultural property, for at least four 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 upon or within the right-of-way of any road or highway, for 48 consecutive hours or longer, without notification to the Police Chief of the reasons for leaving such vehicle in such place, except that when such a motor vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic, it may be ordered into storage immediately;
      (3)   When any vehicle has been stolen or operated without the consent of the owner;
      (4)   When any vehicle displays illegal license plates or fails to display the current lawfully required license plates;
      (5)   When any vehicle has been used in or connected with the commission of a felony;
      (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;
      (7)   When any vehicle is left unattended due to the removal of an ill, injured or arrested operator;
      (8)   When any vehicle has been operated by any person who has failed to stop in case of an accident or collision;
      (9)   When any vehicle has been operated by any person who is driving without a lawful license or while his or her license has been suspended or revoked;
      (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;
      (11)   When any vehicle is illegally parked in violation of a handicapped parking restriction;
      (12)   When a vehicle is illegally parked in violation of Section 452.03(a)(18); and
      (13)   When a vehicle is illegally parked in violation of Section 454.04.
   (b)   Any vehicle removed under authority of division (a)(2) of this section 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 Police Division 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 Division 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.
(Ord. 1999-120. Passed 11-15-99; Ord. 2002-108. Passed 12-16-02; Ord. 2005-003. Passed 1-24-05; Ord. 2024-016. Passed 4-1-24.)
404.07   DISPOSAL OF UNCLAIMED VEHICLES.
   (A)   An unclaimed motor vehicle ordered into storage pursuant to Section 404.06(a)(2) or Ohio R.C. 4513.60 or 4513.61, subject to one of the following:
      (1)   The Police Chief may dispose of it with a motor vehicle salvage dealer or scrap metal processing facility as defined in Ohio R.C. 4737.05, or with any other facility owned by or under contract with the municipality for the disposal of such motor vehicles.
      (2)   The Police Chief or a licensed auctioneer may sell the motor vehicle at public auction, after giving notice thereof by advertisement, published once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or as provided in Ohio R.C. 7.16.
      (3)   A towing service or storage facility may obtain title to the motor vehicle in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4505.104.
   (B)   Any moneys accrued pursuant to division (A)(1) or (A)(2) of this section that are in excess of the expenses resulting from the removal and storage of the vehicle shall be credited to the general fund of the municipality.
(ORC 4513.62)
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