(A) Whenever any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked, standing or stopped in violation of any of the restrictions imposed by Chapter 73 or 75 or by state law, the officer finding the vehicle shall take its registration number and any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its user, and conspicuously affix to the vehicle a traffic citation, on a form provided by the Clerk-Treasurer, for the driver to answer to the charge against him or her within five days, during the hours and at a place specified in the citation.
(`81 Code, § 14-235)
(B) If a violator of the restrictions on stopping, standing or parking imposed by Chapter 73 or 75 or by state law does not appear in response to a traffic citation affixed to the motor vehicle within a period of five days, the Clerk-Treasurer shall send to the owner of the motor vehicle to which the traffic citation was affixed a letter informing him or her of the violation and warning him or her that, in the event the letter is disregarded for a period of five days, a warrant for arrest will be issued.
(`81 Code, § 14-236)
(C) (1) In any prosecution charging a violation of any law governing the standing or parking of a vehicle, proof that the particular vehicle described in the complaint was parked in violation of any law, together with proof that the defendant named in the complaint was, at the time of the parking the registered owner of the vehicle, shall constitute in evidence a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of the vehicle was the person who parked or placed the vehicle at the point where, and for the time during which, the violation occurred.
(2) The foregoing presumption shall apply only when the procedure prescribed in the ordinance has been followed.
(`81 Code, § 14-237)
(D) All fines or forfeitures collected upon conviction or upon the forfeiture of bail of any person charged with a violation of any of the provisions of this code shall be paid into the City Treasury and deposited in the General Fund.
(`81 Code, § 14-238)
(E) Failure, refusal or neglect on the part of any judicial or other officer or employee receiving or having custody of any fine or forfeiture, either before or after a deposit in the General Fund, to comply with the foregoing provisions of this section shall constitute misconduct in office and shall be grounds for removal therefrom.
(`81 Code, § 14-239)
(F) The City Attorney or his or her duly appointed deputy is authorized to prosecute all charges of violation of this code.
(`81 Code, § 14-240)
(G) (1) Whenever a police officer has knowledge that a person has failed to satisfy five or more parking or traffic citations and that an arrest warrant has been issued for the person for these citations, and whenever the officer finds any vehicle registered in the name of the person upon any street, he or she may impound or immobilize the vehicle.
(2) Immobilization of a vehicle under this section shall be in a manner so as to prevent its operation by means of a device which will cause no damage to the vehicle unless the vehicle is moved. Notice of immobilization shall be attached to the vehicle in a conspicuous manner.
(3) After impounding or immobilizing a vehicle under this section, notice shall be given in writing to its owner.
(`81 Code, § 14-241) (Ord. 538, passed 1-21-1980) Penalty, see § 10.99