(a) (1) The Chief of Police upon complaint of any person adversely affected may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in Ohio R.C. 4513.63, that has been left on private residential or private agricultural property for at least four hours without the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property. The Chief of Police, upon complaint of the owner of a repair garage or place of storage, may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle, that has been left at the garage or place of storage for a longer period than that agreed upon. When ordering a motor vehicle into storage pursuant to this section, the Chief of Police may arrange for the removal of the motor vehicle by a towing service and shall designate a storage facility.
(2) A towing service towing a motor vehicle under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall remove the motor vehicle in accordance with that subsection. The towing service shall deliver the motor vehicle to the location designated by the Chief of Police not more than two hours after the time it is removed from the private property.
(3) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that has been removed pursuant to this subsection may recover the vehicle only in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.
(4) As used in this section "private residential property" means private property on which is located one or more structures that are used as a home, residence or sleeping place by one or more persons, if no more than three separate households are maintained in the structure or structures. "Private residential property" does not include any private property on which is located one or more structures that are used as a home, residence or sleeping place by two or more persons, if more than three separate households are maintained in the structure or structures.
(b) If the owner or operator of a motor vehicle that has been ordered into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section arrives after the motor vehicle has been prepared for removal, but prior to its actual removal from the property, the towing service shall give the owner or operator oral or written notification at the time of such arrival that the vehicle owner or operator may pay a fee of not more than one-half of the fee for the removal of the motor vehicle under subsection (d)(1) of this section in order to obtain release of the motor vehicle. Upon payment of that fee, the towing service shall give the vehicle owner or operator a receipt showing both the full amount normally assessed and the actual amount received and shall release the motor vehicle to the owner or operator. Upon its release, the owner or operator immediately shall move it so that it is not on the private residential or private agricultural property without the permission of the person having the right to possession of the property, or is not at the garage or place of storage without the permission of the owner, whichever is applicable.
(c) (1) The Chief of Police shall maintain a record of motor vehicles that the Chief orders into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section. The record shall include an entry for each such motor vehicle that identifies the motor vehicle’s license number, make, model and color, the location from which it was removed, the date and time of the removal, the telephone number of the person from whom it may be recovered, and the address of the place to which it has been taken and from which it may be recovered. The Chief of Police shall provide any information in the record that pertains to a particular motor vehicle to any person who, either in person or pursuant to a telephone call, identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(2) Any person who registers a complaint that is the basis of the Police Chief’s order for the removal and storage of a motor vehicle under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall provide the identity of the law enforcement agency with which the complaint was registered to any person who identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(d) (1) The owner or lienholder of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section may reclaim it upon both of the following:
A. Payment of the following fees:
1. Not more than ninety dollars ($90.00) for the removal of the motor vehicle. However, if the motor vehicle has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating in excess of ten thousand pounds, and is a truck, bus or a combination of a commercial tractor and trailer or semitrailer, not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for the removal.
2. Not more than twelve dollars ($12.00) per twenty-four hour period for the storage of the motor vehicle. However, if the motor vehicle has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating in excess of ten thousand pounds and is a truck, bus or a combination of a commercial tractor and trailer or semitrailer, not more than twenty dollars ($20.00) per twenty-four hour period for storage.
B. Presentation of proof of ownership, which may be evidenced by a certificate of title to the motor vehicle, a certificate of registration for the motor vehicle, or a lease agreement.
(2) Upon presentation of proof of ownership, as required under subsection (d)(1)B. of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage under subsection (a)(1) of this section may retrieve any personal items from the motor vehicle without retrieving the vehicle and without paying any fee. However, the owner may not retrieve any personal item that has been determined by the Chief of Police, as applicable, to be necessary to a criminal investigation. For purposes of subsection (d)(2) of this section, “personal items” do not include any items that are attached to the motor vehicle.
(3) If a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) of this section remains unclaimed by the owner for thirty days, the procedures established by Ohio R.C. 4513.61 and 4513.62 apply.
(e) (1) No person shall remove, or cause the removal of, any motor vehicle from any private residential or private agricultural property other than in accordance with subsection (a)(1) of this section or Ohio R.C. 4513.61 to 4513.65.
(2) No towing service or storage facility shall fail to comply with the requirements of this section.
(f) This section does not apply to any private residential or private agricultural property that is established as a private tow-away zone in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4513.601.
(g) The owner of any towing service or storage facility that violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4513.60)