(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. (Adopting Ordinance)
(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 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 twenty-four consecutive hours or longer, without notification to the Police Chief of the reasons for leaving such vehicle in such place.
(Ord. 113-79. Passed 11-13-79.)
(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.
(11) Any motor vehicle found standing or parked in violation of any ordinance of the City, or any parking or traffic regulation or statute of the State may be towed by the City, if the City deems it appropriate to tow such motor vehicle. (Ord. 20-83. Passed 2-22-83.)
(b) No owner or operator shall remove an impounded vehicle from the place of storage without complying with the procedure set forth herein. 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.
(1) Any motor vehicle towed or caused to be towed by the City shall be impounded and stored.
(2) The City shall have no liability for the towing of a motor vehicle towed pursuant to this section or for damage done to such motor vehicle.
(Ord. 59-92. Passed 7-17-92.)
(3) In order to obtain the release of a motor vehicle towed pursuant to this section, the title owner of the motor vehicle shall be required to produce evidence of ownership of the motor vehicle and shall be required to pay the towing fee and storage charges charged for the towing of and storage of the motor vehicle.
(Ord. 96-92. Passed 10-27-92.)
(c) Whoever violates any provision of 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.