(a) (1) No railroad company shall obstruct or permit or cause to be obstructed a public street, road or highway by permitting a railroad car, locomotive or other obstruction to remain upon or across it for longer than five minutes to the hindrance or inconvenience of travelers or a person passing along or upon such street, road or highway.
(2) At the end of each five minute period of obstruction of a public street, road or highway, each railroad company shall cause such railroad car, locomotive or other obstruction to be removed for sufficient time, not less than three minutes, to allow the passage of persons and vehicles waiting to cross.
(3) This section does not apply to obstruction of a public street, road or highway by a continuously moving through train or caused by circumstances wholly beyond the control of the railroad company, but does apply to other obstructions, including without limitation those caused by stopped trains and trains engaged in switching, loading or unloading operations.
(4) If a railroad car, locomotive, or other obstruction is obstructing a public street, road, or highway in violation of subsection (a)(1) hereof and the violation occurs in the unincorporated area of one or more counties, or in one or more municipal corporations, the officers and employees of each affected county or municipal corporation may charge the railroad company with only one violation of the law arising from the same facts and circumstances and the same act.
(5) Upon the filing of an affidavit or complaint for violation of this subsection (a)(1) hereof, summons shall be issued to the railroad company pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2935.10(B), which summons shall be served on the regular ticket or freight agent of the company in the county where the offense occurred.
(ORC 5589.21)
(b) Whenever a police officer or law enforcement officer determines that a railroad train, locomotive or railroad car is in violation of this section, he shall proceed as follows:
(1) The officer shall order the train crew to open such train;
(2) After such train is opened, the officer shall make a physical arrest of the conductor, or such other person in charge of such train of railroad cars, locomotive or railroad car and cause such person to post bond in accordance with the degree of misdemeanor of which he is guilty.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree and shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000).