(a) The police officer or person in charge of any impounded vehicle shall inform the owner or other person claiming an impounded vehicle, of the nature and circumstances of the violation because of which such vehicle has been impounded. If such owner or other person claiming such impounded vehicle furnishes evidence of his or her identity and ownership, together with a receipt from the Clerk of the Mayor’s Court, showing the payment of all fees for violation of provisions of this Traffic Code, the impounded vehicle shall be surrendered by the agent or person in charge thereof, who shall obtain a receipt for such impounded vehicle.
The cost of towing such vehicle, including storage fees, is an agency matter and shall be so collected by it.
(b) In case protest is made against the payment of any impounding or storage fee, the agent or person in charge of such impounded vehicle, upon satisfactory evidence of the identity and ownership of the person claiming such impounded vehicle and upon the furnishing of a bond in an amount as set by rule of the Mayor’s Court, by the owner or driver of such vehicle, to the satisfaction of the Clerk of the Mayor’s Court, conditioned that such owner or driver shall appear before the Mayor’s Court to answer to the violation because of which such vehicle has been impounded, shall surrender the impounded vehicle to the claimant. It shall thereupon be the duty of the police officer having knowledge of the facts to forthwith institute the proper proceedings in the Mayor’s Court, charging the owner or driver of such vehicle with the violation of the ordinance for which the vehicle was impounded.
(Ord. 1982-22. Passed 4-14-82.)