(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 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 has been stolen or operated without the consent of the owner;
(3) When any vehicle displays illegal license plates or fails to display the current lawfully required license plates;
(4) When any vehicle has been used in or connected with the commission of a misdemeanor or a felony;
(5) When any vehicle has been operated by any person who has failed to stop in case of an accident or collision;
(6) 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; or
(7) When any vehicle is impounded in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4503.233 or 4513.60.
(b) Any vehicle impounded under authority of division (a)(2) or (3) hereof 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, excepting those impounded in accordance with the provisions of Ohio R.C. 4503.233, shall appear at the Police Division to furnish satisfactory evidence of identity and ownership or right to possession. Prior to issuance of a release, the claimant, owner or operator shall pay the amount due for any fines for violations on account of which such vehicle was impounded and all towage and storage charges.
(Ord. 2403. Passed 6-13-94.)
(c) No vehicle impounded under the provisions set forth in division (a) hereof shall be removed from the City Impound Lot except upon the payment of the towing and storage charges. Storage shall be at a cost of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per day or any fraction of a day.
(Ord. 2531. Passed 3-10-97.)
(d) Whenever any vehicle impounded under the provisions set forth in division (a) of this section is unclaimed for a period of thirty days by any person having the right of possession to such vehicle, the Police Chief shall dispose of any such vehicle to a junk yard or similar type facility, if such vehicle has a fair market value of two hundred dollars ($200.00) or less and is more than three years old. Any such vehicle which has a fair market value of more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) shall be sold at public auction to the highest bidder after notice of such auction has been advertised by publication once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation. Any moneys accruing from the disposal of any unclaimed motor vehicle, in excess of the expenses resulting from removal and storage, shall be credited to the City's General Fund.
(Ord. 2403. Passed 6-13-94.)