Source: https://www.ecode360.com/28082207
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:03:59+00:00

Document:
§ 395.020 Abandoned or Unlicensed Vehicles Prohibited.
§ 395.030 Open Storage of Abandoned Property OR Public Safety Hazards Prohibited.
§ 395.040 Towing of Abandoned Property On Public Real Property.
§ 395.050 Towing of Abandoned Property On Private Real Property.
§ 395.055 Notice To Owner of Abandoned Property — Duty of Real Property Owner — Liability of Towing Company, Etc.
§ 395.060 General Provisions and Procedures.
§ 395.080 Sale of Abandoned Property By City.
Section 395.020 Abandoned or Unlicensed Vehicles Prohibited.
Section 395.030 Open Storage of Abandoned Property OR Public Safety Hazards Prohibited.
Section 395.040 Towing of Abandoned Property On Public Real Property.
Section 395.050 Towing of Abandoned Property On Private Real Property.
Section 395.055 Notice To Owner of Abandoned Property — Duty of Real Property Owner — Liability of Towing Company, Etc.
Section 395.060 General Provisions and Procedures.
Section 395.080 Sale of Abandoned Property By City.
Any unlicensed, inoperable, unattended motor vehicle, trailer, all-terrain vehicle, outboard motor, vessel or watercraft or airplane removed or subject to removal from public or private property as provided in the Chapter.
Any vehicle which is twenty-five (25) years or older and is licensed or in the process of being licensed as an antique vehicle by the Missouri Department of Vehicles.
A vehicle shall be deemed to be inoperable if it contains no engine, is missing one (1) or more wheels, contains one (1) or more flat tires, or is missing body parts which are necessary for the proper operation of the vehicle.
No person shall abandon any motor vehicle on the right-of-way of any public road or State highway or on any private real property owned by another without his/her consent.
No owner, occupant or person occupying any property within the City shall allow or permit the parking or storing of any automobile, trailer or motor vehicle, whether or not in a usable condition, on any public or private property, including, but not limited to, any public or private street, which is not legally registered with properly displayed license plates issued under the Statutes of the State on the property so occupied unless the same be stored in a closed garage which shall consist of four (4) sides, a roof and a door; however, this Section shall not apply to new and used cars or trailer sales lots duly licensed by the State and laws of the City; and this Section shall not apply to any automotive repair garage or filling station where the motor vehicle is being repaired provided that such motor vehicle shall not be so parked for more than thirty (30) days for each repair.
The open storage of abandoned property constitutes a public safety hazard and is prohibited. Nothing in this Section shall apply to property which is completely enclosed within a building or a locked fence area and not visible from adjacent or to public or private property or to any vehicle upon the property of a business licensed as salvage, swap, junk dealer, towing or storage facility so long as the business is operated in compliance with its business license and the property is in compliance with applicable zoning ordinances nor to any antique vehicle unless and until the owner has been given at least ninety (90) days' notice that such antique vehicle must finalize the licensing process.
The State Transportation Department may immediately remove any abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burned or partially dismantled property, spilled cargo or other personal property from the roadway of any State highway if the abandoned property, cargo or personal property is creating a traffic hazard because of its position in relation to the State highway. In the event the property creating a traffic hazard is a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in Section 302.700, RSMo., the department's authority under this Subsection shall be limited to authorizing a towing company to remove the commercial motor vehicle to a place of safety, except that the owner of the commercial motor vehicle or the owner's designated representative shall have a reasonable opportunity to contact a towing company of choice. The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to vehicles transporting any material which has been designated as hazardous under Section 5103(a) of Title 49, U.S.C.
Any law enforcement agency authorizing a tow pursuant to this Section in which the abandoned property is moved from the immediate vicinity shall complete a crime inquiry and inspection report. Any State or Federal Government agency other than a law enforcement agency authorizing a tow pursuant to this Section in which the abandoned property is moved away from the immediate vicinity in which it was abandoned shall report the towing to the State Highway Patrol or Water Patrol within two (2) hours of the tow along with a crime inquiry and inspection report as required in this Section. Any local government agency, other than a law enforcement agency, authorizing a tow pursuant to this Section where property is towed away from the immediate vicinity shall report the tow to the local law enforcement agency within two (2) hours along with a crime inquiry and inspection report.
Neither the Law Enforcement Officer, government agency official nor anyone having custody of abandoned property under his/her direction shall be liable for any damage to such abandoned property occasioned by a removal authorized by this Section or by ordinance of a County or municipality licensing and regulating the sale of abandoned property by the municipality, other than damages occasioned by negligence or by willful or wanton acts or omissions.
The owner of abandoned property removed as provided in this Section or in Section 395.050 shall be responsible for payment of all reasonable charges for towing and storage of such abandoned property as provided in Sections 395.055 and 395.070.
Any additional information the Director of Revenue deems appropriate.
One (1) copy of the crime inquiry and inspection report shall remain with the agency which authorized the tow. One (1) copy shall be provided to and retained by the storage facility and one (1) copy shall be retained by the towing facility in an accessible format in the business records for a period of three (3) years from the date of the tow or removal.
The owner of such abandoned property, or the holder of a valid security interest of record, may reclaim it from the towing company upon proof of ownership or valid security interest of record and payment of all reasonable charges for the towing and storage of the abandoned property.
Any person who removes abandoned property at the direction of a Law Enforcement Officer or an officer of a government agency where that agency's real property is concerned as provided in this Section shall have a lien for all reasonable charges for the towing and storage of the abandoned property until possession of the abandoned property is voluntarily relinquished to the owner of the abandoned property or to the holder of a valid security interest of record. Any personal property within the abandoned property need not be released to the owner thereof until the reasonable or agreed charges for such recovery, transportation or safekeeping have been paid or satisfactory arrangements for payment have been made, except that any medication prescribed by a physician shall be released to the owner thereof upon request. The company holding or storing the abandoned property shall either release the personal property to the owner of the abandoned property or allow the owner to inspect the property and provide an itemized receipt for the contents. The company holding or storing the property shall be strictly liable for the condition and safe return of the personal property. Such lien shall be enforced in the manner provided under Section 304.156, RSMo.
Towing companies shall keep a record for three (3) years on any abandoned property towed and not reclaimed by the owner of the abandoned property. Such record shall contain information regarding the authorization to tow, copies of all correspondence with the Department of Revenue concerning the abandoned property, including copies of any online records of the towing company accessed and information concerning the final disposition of the possession of the abandoned property.
If a lienholder repossesses any motor vehicle, trailer, all-terrain vehicle, outboard motor or vessel without the knowledge or cooperation of the owner, then the repossessor shall notify the local law enforcement agency where the repossession occurred within two (2) hours of the repossession and shall further provide the local law enforcement agency with any additional information the agency deems appropriate. The local law enforcement agency shall make an inquiry with the National Crime Information Center and the Missouri statewide law enforcement computer system and shall enter the repossessed vehicle into the statewide law enforcement computer system.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301.227, RSMo., any towing company who has complied with the notification provisions in Section 304.156, RSMo., including notice that any property remaining unredeemed after thirty (30) days may be sold as scrap property may then dispose of such property as provided in this Subsection. Such sale shall only occur if at least thirty (30) days has passed since the date of such notification, the abandoned property remains unredeemed with no satisfactory arrangements made with the towing company for continued storage, and the owner or holder of a security agreement has not requested a hearing as provided in Section 304.156, RSMo. The towing company may dispose of such abandoned property by selling the property on a bill of sale as prescribed by the Director of Revenue to a scrap metal operator or licensed salvage dealer for destruction purposes only. The towing company shall forward a copy of the bill of sale provided by the scrap metal operator or licensed salvage dealer to the Director of Revenue within two (2) weeks of the date of such sale. The towing company shall keep a record of each such vehicle sold for destruction for three (3) years that shall be available for inspection by law enforcement and authorized Department of Revenue officials. The record shall contain the year, make, identification number of the property, date of sale, and name of the purchasing scrap metal operator or licensed salvage dealer and copies of all notifications issued by the towing company as required in this Chapter. Scrap metal operators or licensed salvage dealers shall keep a record of the purchase of such property as provided in Section 301.227, RSMo. Scrap metal operators and licensed salvage dealers may obtain a junk certificate as provided in Section 301.227, RSMo., on vehicles purchased on a bill of sale pursuant to this Section.
In the judgment of a Law Enforcement Officer, the abandoned property constitutes a safety hazard or unreasonably interferes with the use of the real property by the person in possession.
A local government agency may also provide for the towing of motor vehicles from real property under the authority of any local ordinance providing for the towing of vehicles which are derelict, junk, scrapped, disassembled or otherwise harmful to the public health under the terms of the ordinance. Any local government agency authorizing a tow under this Subsection shall report the tow to the local law enforcement agency within two (2) hours with a crime inquiry and inspection report pursuant to Section 304.155, RSMo.
Neither the Law Enforcement Officer, local government agency nor anyone having custody of abandoned property under his/her direction shall be liable for any damage to such abandoned property occasioned by a removal authorized by this Section other than damages occasioned by negligence or by willful or wanton acts or omissions.
The abandoned property is left unattended on private property, and the owner, lessee or agent of the real property in lawful possession of real property has notified the appropriate law enforcement agency, and ninety-six (96) hours have elapsed since that notification.
Any towing company which tows abandoned property without authorization from a Law Enforcement Officer pursuant to Subsection (4) of this Section shall deliver a copy of the abandoned property report to the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the location from which the abandoned property was towed. The copy may be produced and sent by facsimile machine or other device which produces a near exact likeness of the print and signatures required, but only if the law enforcement agency receiving the report has the technological capability of receiving such copy and has registered the towing company for such purpose. The registration requirements shall not apply to law enforcement agencies located in Counties of the Third or Fourth Classification. The report shall be delivered within two (2) hours if the tow was made from a signed location pursuant to Subdivision (1) of Subsection (4) of this Section, otherwise the report shall be delivered within twenty-four (24) hours.
The law enforcement agency receiving such abandoned property report must record the date on which the abandoned property report is filed with such agency and shall promptly make an inquiry into the National Crime Information Center and any statewide Missouri law enforcement computer system to determine if the abandoned property has been reported as stolen. The law enforcement agency shall enter the information pertaining to the towed property into the statewide law enforcement computer system, and an officer shall sign the abandoned property report and provide the towing company with a signed copy. The Department of Revenue may design and sell to towing companies informational brochures outlining owner or lessee of real property obligations pursuant to this Section.
The Law Enforcement Agency receiving notification that abandoned property has been towed by a towing company shall search the records of the Department of Revenue and provide the towing company with the latest owner and lienholder information on the abandoned property, and if the tower has online access to the Department of Revenue's records, the tower shall comply with the requirements of Section 301.155, RSMo. If the abandoned property is not claimed within ten (10) working days, the towing company shall send a copy of the abandoned property report signed by a Law Enforcement Officer to the Department of Revenue.
If any owner or lessee of real property knowingly authorizes the removal of abandoned property in violation of this Section, then the owner or lessee shall be deemed guilty of a violation.
If the abandoned property is stored in any storage facility, a copy of the notice shall be given to the operator of the facility. The notice provided for in this Section shall include the amount of mileage, if available, shown on the abandoned property at the time of removal.
The removal of property other than the property specified by the owner of the private property from which the abandoned property was removed.
The owner of abandoned property removed from private property may recover for any damage to the property resulting from any act of any person causing the removal of, or removing, the abandoned property.
Any owner of any private property causing the removal of abandoned property parked on that property is liable to the owner of the abandoned property for double the storage or towing charges whenever there has been a failure to comply with the requirements of this Section or Section 395.050.
Any towing company which tows abandoned property for hire shall have the towing company's name, City and State clearly printed in letters at least three (3) inches in height on the sides of the truck, wrecker or other vehicle used in the towing.
A towing company may impose a charge of not more than one-half (½) of the regular towing charge for the towing of abandoned property at the request of the owner of private property or that owner's agent pursuant to this Section if the owner of the abandoned property or the owner's agent returns to the abandoned property before it is removed from the private property. The regular towing charge may only be imposed after the abandoned property has been removed from the property and is in transit.
Persons operating or in charge of any storage facility where the abandoned property is stored pursuant to this Section shall accept cash for payment of towing and storage by a registered owner or the owner's agent claiming the abandoned property. In addition, persons operating or in charge of the storage facility shall have sufficient monies on the premises to accommodate, and make change in, a reasonable monetary transaction.
Except for the removal of abandoned property authorized by a law enforcement agency pursuant to Section 395.050, a towing company shall not remove or commence the removal of abandoned property from private property without first obtaining written authorization from the property owner. All written authorizations shall be maintained for at least one (1) year by the towing company. General authorization to remove or commence removal of abandoned property at the towing company's discretion shall not be delegated to a towing company or its affiliates except in the case of abandoned property unlawfully parked within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant or in a fire lane designated by a Fire Department or the State Fire Marshal.
Any towing company, or any affiliate of a towing company, which removes, or commences removal of, abandoned property from private property without first obtaining written authorization from the property owner or lessee, or an employee or agent thereof, who is present at the time of removal or commencement of the removal, except as permitted in Subsection (8) of this Section, is liable to the owner of the property for four (4) times the amount of the towing and storage charges, in addition to any applicable criminal penalty, for a violation of this Section.
Any County, City, Town or Village may enact ordinances or orders which are consistent with Sections 304.155 to 304.158, RSMo., and which may specify maximum reasonable towing, storage and other charges which can be imposed by towing and storage companies operating within the governmental entity's jurisdiction.
Any person who knowingly violates any provision of Sections 304.155 to 304.158, RSMo., shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Any violation of the provisions of this Section shall constitute a violation of the provisions of Section 407.020, RSMo. In any proceeding brought by the Attorney General for a violation of the provisions of this Section, the court may, in addition to imposing the penalties provided for in this Section order the revocation or suspension of the registration or license of the towing company.
The owner of abandoned property removed as provided in this Chapter shall be responsible for payment of all reasonable charges for towing and storage of such abandoned property as provided in Section 395.070.
The date of the inquiry of the National Crime Information Center, any statewide Missouri law enforcement computer system, and any other similar system which has titling and registration information to determine if the abandoned property had been stolen. This information shall be entered only by the City Police Department.
If a lienholder repossesses any motor vehicle, trailer, all-terrain vehicle, outboard motor or vessel without the knowledge or cooperation of the owner, then the repossessor shall notify the City Police Department within two (2) hours of the repossession and shall further provide the Police Department with any additional information the Police Department deems appropriate. The City Police Department shall make an inquiry with the National Crime Information Center and the Missouri statewide law enforcement computer system and shall enter the repossessed vehicle into the statewide law enforcement computer system.
The owner of the abandoned property removed pursuant to this Chapter or any person claiming a lien, other than the towing company, within ten (10) days after the receipt of notification from the towing company pursuant to Subsection (E) of this Section may file a petition in the Associate Circuit Court in the County where the abandoned property is stored to determine if the abandoned property was wrongfully taken or withheld from the owner. The petition shall name the towing company among the defendants. The petition may also name the agency ordering the tow or the owner, lessee or agent of the real property from which the abandoned property was removed. The Missouri Director of Revenue shall not be a party to such petition but a copy of the petition shall be served on the Director of Revenue.
Persons operating or in charge of any storage facility where the abandoned property is stored pursuant to this Chapter shall accept cash for payment of towing and storage by a registered owner or the owner's agent claiming the abandoned property.
The Florissant City Council may from time to time establish maximum reasonable towing, storage and other charges which can be imposed by towing and storage companies operating within the City and which are consistent with this Chapter and with Sections 304.155 to 304.158, RSMo. Any violation of said established maximum charges shall be deemed a violation of this Section of the Code and shall be punishable pursuant to Section 100.080 of the Florissant Code.
When the City has physical possession of the abandoned property, it may sell the abandoned property in accordance with its established provisions and regulations and may transfer ownership by means of a bill of sale signed by the City Clerk and sealed with the official City Seal. Such bill of sale shall contain the make and model of the abandoned property, the complete abandoned property identification number and the odometer reading of the abandoned property if available and shall be lawful proof of ownership for any dealer registered under the provisions of Section 301.218, RSMo., or Section 301.560, RSMo., or for any other person.

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