(A) The Police Chief of the municipality may order into storage any motor vehicle, including an abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in § 95.04, that has come into the possession of the Police Chief as a result of the Police Chief’s duties or that has been left 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 hours or longer without notification to the Police Chief of the reasons for leaving the motor vehicle in such place, except that when such motor vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic, it may be ordered into storage immediately. The Police Chief shall designate the place of storage of any motor vehicle so ordered removed.
(B) The Police Chief immediately shall cause a search to be made of the records of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to ascertain the owner and any lienholder of a motor vehicle ordered into storage by the Police Chief, and if known, shall send or cause to be sent notice to the owner or lienholder at his or her last known address by certified mail with return receipt requested, that the motor vehicle will be declared a nuisance and disposed of if not claimed within ten days of the date of mailing of the notice. The owner or lienholder of the motor vehicle may reclaim it upon payment of any expenses or charges incurred in its removal and storage, and presentation of proof of ownership, which may be evidenced by a certificate of title or memorandum certificate of title to the motor vehicle. If the owner or lienholder of the motor vehicle reclaims it after a search of the records of the Bureau has been conducted and after notice has been sent to the owner or lienholder as described in this section, and the search was conducted by the owner of the place of storage or the owner’s employee, and the notice was sent to the motor vehicle owner by the owner of the place of storage or the owner’s employee, the owner or lienholder shall pay to the place of storage a processing fee of $25, in addition to any expenses or charged incurred in the removal and storage of the vehicle.
(C) If the owner or lienholder makes no claim to the motor vehicle within ten days of the date of mailing the notice, and if the vehicle is to be disposed of at public auction as provided in § 95.03, the Police Chief, without charge to any party, shall file with the Clerk of Courts of the county in which the place of storage is located an affidavit showing compliance with the requirements of R.C. § 4513.61. Upon presentation of the affidavit, the Clerk, without charge, shall issue a salvage certificate of title, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, to the Police Chief. If the vehicle is to be disposed of to a motor vehicle salvage dealer or other facility as provided in § 95.03, the Police Chief shall execute in triplicate an affidavit, as prescribed by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, describing the motor vehicle and the manner in which it was disposed, and that all requirements of R.C. § 4513.61 have been complied with. The Police Chief shall retain the original of the affidavit for his or her records, and shall furnish two copies to the motor vehicle salvage dealer or other facility. Upon presentation of a copy of the affidavit by the motor vehicle salvage dealer, the Clerk of Courts, within 30 days of the presentation, will issue to such owner a salvage certificate of title, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances.
(D) Whenever a motor vehicle salvage dealer or other facility receives such an affidavit for the disposal of a motor vehicle as provided in this section, the dealer or facility is not required to obtain a state certificate of title to the motor vehicle in the dealer’s or facility’s own name if the vehicle is dismantled or destroyed and both copies of the affidavit are delivered to the Clerk of Courts.
(R.C. § 4513.61) (Rev. 2012)