(a) Police 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 Police Chief 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) In any and all cases where a vehicle is impounded pursuant to the foregoing paragraphs of this section, it shall be the duty of the police to conduct an inventory search of the vehicle and its contents. The purpose of the search shall be to safeguard the contents of the vehicle and all compartments, containers and packages within the vehicle. The police shall search and inventory any and all compartments within the vehicle, including the glove box and trunk; and any and all packages or containers found in the vehicle or within a compartment of the vehicle. All compartments, and all packages and containers, whether open or closed, locked or unlocked, shall be opened and their contents inventoried. It shall be the responsibility of the police to account for any and all items found in any area of the vehicle, which includes, but is not limited to, the driver and passenger areas, under the seats, ash trays, the glove box, the trunk, and, if applicable, containers on the roof of the vehicle. In the case of commercial vehicles, the police shall conduct an inventory search of any additional areas and containers, such as exterior mounted tool boxes, roof racks, etc. Prior to opening locked compartments, containers or packages, the police shall first request the driver to open the said compartments, containers or packages. However, if the driver refuses or is otherwise unable to open the compartment, container or package, then the police shall unlock or open it, using the least amount of force which is practicable under the circumstances. In all cases, the police shall act reasonably and shall endeavor to minimize damage to the vehicle, or any compartment, container or package within the vehicle. The inventory search shall take place on the scene before the vehicle is towed away or otherwise removed from the scene. The police officer shall list all items found in the vehicle, or within any compartment of the vehicle, or within any container or package found in the vehicle or in a compartment of the vehicle, on a sheet of paper which shall then be signed by the officer and the driver of the vehicle. Upon request, a copy of the inventory shall be provided to the driver of the vehicle and/or the owner of the vehicle.
(Ord. 2001-13. Passed 7-13-00.)
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on a second offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; on each subsequent offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.