(a) Towing and Impounding Vehicles.
(1) Whenever any police officer or other law enforcement officer finds an automobile or other motor vehicle unattended upon any public right-of-way or public property, including unlicensed vehicles, vehicles damaged in a traffic accident and made inoperable, vehicles upon which one or more delinquent parking tickets or arrest notifications remain unpaid, vehicles illegally parked or found in violation of any of the provisions of the City's Traffic or Zoning Codes or Ohio traffic statutes, such officer may provide for the removal of said vehicle to an approved impounding site.
(2) Police officers are authorized to provide for the removal of any vehicle or "abandoned junk motor vehicle" as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63 which is left on private property for more than seventy-two 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. 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.
(b) Towing Fees. The owner or operator of any tow truck used to impound an automobile or other motor vehicle, by order of a law enforcement official and under the terms of this chapter, shall be paid in accordance with the then current rate schedule authorized and approved by the City Manager and on file with the Clerk of Council.
(c) Rules and Regulations. The City Manager shall make such rules and regulations as may be necessary, proper and convenient to facilitate or further regulate the towing and impounding of motor vehicles, which rules and regulations shall be placed on file with the Clerk of Council.
(d) Owner's Risk. The removal, by a police officer, of a motor vehicle, junk vehicle, unlicensed motor vehicle or inoperative motor vehicle, shall be at the risk of the owner or person in charge of said vehicle and there shall be no liability on the part of the City for any damage caused by such removal.
The storage of any motor vehicle, junk vehicle, unlicensed motor vehicle, or inoperative motor vehicle, when impounded by the City of Mentor, shall be at the risk of the driver or owner thereof and the City of Mentor shall not be liable for any damage or for the theft or destruction by fire or otherwise of such vehicles.
(1969 Code 75.24 - 75.27)