(A) Police officers are authorized to provide for the removal and impounding of a vehicle under the following circumstances:
(1) When any vehicle is left unattended on 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.
(2) When any vehicle or abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in R.C. § 4513.63 is left on private property for more than 72 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 on or within the right-of-way of any road or highway, for 48 consecutive hours or longer, without notification to the Police Chief of the reasons for leaving such vehicle in such place. Prior to removal of an abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in R.C. § 4513.63, it shall be photographed by a law enforcement officer in the place where abandoned.
(3) When any vehicle has been stolen or operated without the consent of the owner.
(4) When any vehicle displays illegal license plates or fails to display the current lawfully required license plates.
(5) When any vehicle has been used in or connected with the commission of a felony.
(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.
(7) When any vehicle is left unattended due to the removal of an ill, injured, or arrested operator.
(8) When any vehicle has been operated by any person who has failed to stop in case of an accident or collision.
(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.
(10) When any vehicle is found for which 2 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.
(B) The Police Department shall forthwith notify the registered vehicle owner of the fact of such removal and impounding, reasons therefor and the place of storage. Any person desiring to redeem an impounded vehicle shall appear at the Police Department to furnish satisfactory evidence of identity and ownership or right to possession. Prior to issuance of a release form, the claimant, owner, or operator shall either pay the amount due for any fines for violations on account of which such vehicle was impounded or, as the court may require, post a bond in an amount set by the court, to appear to answer to such violations. The pound operator shall release such vehicle on the receipt of the release form and payment of all towage and storage charges.
(C) No owner or operator shall remove an impounded vehicle from the place of storage without complying with the above procedure. 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.
(1981 Code, § 70.10) Penalty, see § 70.99