Source: https://www.ecode360.com/28719985
Timestamp: 2019-03-24 05:04:31
Document Index: 770895526

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§2', '§2', '§3', '§4', '§5', '§6', '§7']

City of Plattsburg, MO Abandonment of Motor Vehicles
§ 385.005 Definitions.
§ 385.010 Abandoned Motor Vehicles on Public Property, Removal — Hazards on Land and Water, Removal, Limited Liability, When — Towing of Property Report to Highway or Water Patrol or Crime Inquiry and Inspection Report, When, Owner Liable for Costs — Check for Stolen Vehicles Procedure — Reclaiming Vehicle — Lien for Charges — Record Maintenance by Towing Companies — Lienholder Repossession, Procedure.
§ 385.015 Notice to Towing Company, Owner or Lienholder, When — Storage Charges, When Authorized — Search of Vehicle for Ownership Documents — Petition, Determination of Wrongful Taking — Possessory Lien, New Title, How Issued — Sale of Abandoned Property by Municipality or County — Towing Company, New Title, When.
§ 385.020 Vehicles Left Unattended or Improperly Parked on Private Property of Another, Procedure for Removal and Disposition — Violation of Certain Required Procedure, Penalty.
§ 385.025 Notice to Owner of Abandoned Property — Duty of Real Property Owner — Liability of Towing Company — Recovery for Damages to Real Property, When — Liability of Real Property Owner for Towing Charges, When — Information to Be Displayed on Wrecker — Towing Charges — Storage Facility Charges, Method of Payment — Authorization of Real Property Owner to Tow, Violation, Penalty — Violations of Towing Laws, Penalties.
§ 385.030 Abandoning Motor Vehicle, Prohibited, Penalty.
Chapter 385 Abandonment of Motor Vehicles
Editor's Note — Ord. no. 1574 §§2 — 7, adopted February 12, 2003, superseded this Chapter 385 and enacted the new provisions set out herein. Former ch. 385 derived from Ord. No. 1244 §VII, 4-3-1989.
Section 385.005 Definitions.
Section 385.010 Abandoned Motor Vehicles on Public Property, Removal — Hazards on Land and Water, Removal, Limited Liability, When — Towing of Property Report to Highway or Water Patrol or Crime Inquiry and Inspection Report, When, Owner Liable for Costs — Check for Stolen Vehicles Procedure — Reclaiming Vehicle — Lien for Charges — Record Maintenance by Towing Companies — Lienholder Repossession, Procedure.
Section 385.015 Notice to Towing Company, Owner or Lienholder, When — Storage Charges, When Authorized — Search of Vehicle for Ownership Documents — Petition, Determination of Wrongful Taking — Possessory Lien, New Title, How Issued — Sale of Abandoned Property by Municipality or County — Towing Company, New Title, When.
Section 385.020 Vehicles Left Unattended or Improperly Parked on Private Property of Another, Procedure for Removal and Disposition — Violation of Certain Required Procedure, Penalty.
Section 385.025 Notice to Owner of Abandoned Property — Duty of Real Property Owner — Liability of Towing Company — Recovery for Damages to Real Property, When — Liability of Real Property Owner for Towing Charges, When — Information to Be Displayed on Wrecker — Towing Charges — Storage Facility Charges, Method of Payment — Authorization of Real Property Owner to Tow, Violation, Penalty — Violations of Towing Laws, Penalties.
Section 385.030 Abandoning Motor Vehicle, Prohibited, Penalty.
[Ord. No. 1574 §2, 2-12-2003]
Any unattended motor vehicle, trailer, all-terrain vehicle, outboard motor or vessel removed or subject to removal from public or private property as provided in Sections 385.010 and 385.020, whether or not operational. For any vehicle towed from the scene of an accident at the request of law enforcement and not retrieved by the vehicle's owner within five (5) days of the accident, the agency requesting the tow shall be required to write an abandoned property report or a crime inquiry and inspection report.
Employees of the Missouri State Highway Patrol who are not members of the patrol but who are appointed by the Superintendent of the Highway Patrol to enforce the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to commercial vehicles, trailers, special mobile equipment and drivers of such vehicles.
Employees of the Missouri State Highway Patrol who are not members of the patrol but who are appointed by the Superintendent of the Highway Patrol to supervise or operate permanent or portable weigh stations in the enforcement of commercial vehicle laws.
The State Highways and Transportation Commission.
A State highway included in the national system of interstate highways located within the boundaries of Missouri, as officially designated or as may be hereafter designated by the State Highways and Transportation Commission with the approval of the Secretary of Transportation, pursuant to Title 23, U.S.C., as amended.
The Superintendent, Lieutenant Colonel, Majors, Captains, Director of Radio, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Corporals and Patrolmen of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Any vehicle designed for or capable of cross-country travel on or immediately over land, water, ice, snow, marsh, swampland or other natural terrain without benefit of a road or trail:
Vehicles using an endless belt, or tread or treads, or a combination of tread and low-pressure tires;
Motorcycles, trail bikes, minibikes and related vehicles;
Any other means of transportation deriving power from any source other than muscle or wind; and
Self-propelled lawnmowers, or lawn or garden tractors, or golf carts, while being used exclusively for their designed purpose; and
The entire width of land between the boundary lines of a street, road, alley or highway, including any roadway.
That portion of a street, road, alley or highway ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.
A highway constructed or maintained by the State Highways and Transportation Commission with the aid of State funds or United States Government funds, or any highway included by authority of law in the State highway system, including all right-of-way.
[Ord. No. 1574 §3, 2-12-2003]
The Chief of Police or any Police Officer, within the officer's jurisdiction, or any officer or agent of the City of Plattsburg, where the City's real property is concerned, may authorize a towing company to remove to a place of safety:
Any State highway, street, roadway or alley other than an interstate highway or freeway outside of an urbanized area, left unattended for more than forty-eight hours (48); provided that commercial motor vehicles not hauling waste designated as hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103(a) may only be removed under this Subsection to a place of safety until the owner or owner's representative has had a reasonable opportunity to contact a towing company of choice.
Any unattended abandoned property illegally left standing upon any highway, street, roadway, alley or bridge if the abandoned property is left in a position or under such circumstances as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic where there is no reasonable indication that the person in control of the property is arranging for its immediate control or removal;
Any abandoned property which has been abandoned under Section 385.030 of this Chapter or under Section 577.080, RSMo.;
Any abandoned property left unattended in violation of a State law or City ordinance where signs have been posted giving notice of the law or where the violation causes a safety hazard; or
The City and any officer or agent thereof may immediately remove any abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burned or partially dismantled property, spilled cargo or other personal property from the roadway or highway, street, road or alley if the abandoned property, cargo or personal property is creating a traffic hazard because of its position in relation to the roadway. In the event the property creating a traffic hazard is a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in Section 302.700, RSMo., the City'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 Officer 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 officer or agent of the City, other than a Law Enforcement Officer, 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 officer or agent of the City, other than a Law Enforcement Officer, authorizing a tow pursuant to this Section where property is towed away from the immediate vicinity shall report the tow to the Plattsburg Police Department or the Clinton County Sheriff's Department within two (2) hours, along with a crime inquiry and inspection report.
Neither the City, the Law Enforcement Officer, the officer or agent of the City, 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, Section 385.020 or Section 225.080 shall be responsible for payment of all reasonable charges for towing and storage of such abandoned property as provided in Section 385.025.
Upon the towing of any abandoned property pursuant to this Section, or under authority of a Law Enforcement Officer, or other officer or agent of the City under Section 385.020, the Law Enforcement Officer that authorized such towing or was properly notified by another officer of the City of such towing shall promptly make an inquiry with the National Crime Information Center and any statewide Missouri law enforcement computer system to determine if the abandoned property has been reported as stolen and shall enter the information pertaining to the towed property into the statewide law enforcement computer system. If the abandoned property is not claimed within ten (10) working days of the towing, the law enforcement agency shall submit a crime inquiry and inspection report to the Missouri Director of Revenue. A towing company in possession of abandoned property after ten (10) working days shall report such fact to the law enforcement agency with which the crime inquiry and inspection report was filed.
One (1) copy of the crime inquiry and inspection report shall remain with the City agency or department 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.
Any person who removes abandoned property at the direction of a Law Enforcement Officer or other officer or agent of the City where the City'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 385.015.
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, 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 within the limits of the City, then the repossessor shall notify the Police Department within two (2) hours of the repossession and shall further provide the department with any additional information the department deems appropriate. The 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.
[Ord. No. 1574 §4, 2-12-2003]
Any towing company which comes into possession of abandoned property pursuant to Sections 385.010 or 385.020 and who claims a lien for recovering, towing or storing abandoned property shall give notice to the title owner and to all persons claiming a lien thereon as disclosed by the records of the Missouri Department of Revenue or of a corresponding agency in any other State. The towing company shall notify the owner and any lienholder within ten (10) business days of the date of mailing indicated on the notice sent by the Department of Revenue, by certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice shall contain the following:
In the event that the records of the Missouri Department of Revenue fail to disclose the name of the owner or any lienholder of record, the department shall notify the towing company which shall attempt to locate documents or other evidence of ownership on or within the abandoned property itself. The towing company must certify that a physical search of the abandoned property disclosed that no ownership documents were found and a good faith effort has been made. For purposes of this Section, "good faith effort" means that the following checks have been performed by the company to establish the prior State of registration and title:
If no ownership information is discovered, the Director of Revenue shall be notified in writing and title obtained in accordance with Subsection (G) of this Section.
The owner of the abandoned property removed pursuant to the provisions of Sections 385.010 or 385.020 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 (A) 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 who shall not issue title to such abandoned property pursuant to this Section until the petition is finally decided.
Upon filing of a petition in the Associate Circuit Court, the owner or lienholder may have the abandoned property released upon posting with the court a cash or surety bond or other adequate security equal to the amount of the charges for towing and storage to ensure the payment of such charges in the event he does not prevail. Upon the posting of the bond and the payment of the applicable fees, the court shall issue an order notifying the towing company of the posting of the bond and directing the towing company to release the abandoned property. At the time of such release, after reasonable inspection, the owner or lienholder shall give a receipt to the towing company reciting any claims for loss or damage to the abandoned property or the contents thereof.
Upon determining the respective rights of the parties, the final order of the court shall provide for immediate payment in full of recovery, towing and storage fees by the abandoned property owner or lienholder or the owner, lessee or agent thereof of the real property from which the abandoned property was removed.
A towing and storage lien shall be enforced as provided in Subsection (G) of this Section.
Thirty (30) days after the notification form has been mailed to the abandoned property owner and holder of a security agreement and the property is unredeemed and no satisfactory arrangement has been made with the lienholder in possession for continued storage, and the owner or holder of a security agreement has not requested a hearing as provided in Subsection (E) of this Section, the lienholder in possession may apply to the Missouri Director of Revenue for a certificate. The application for title shall be accompanied by:
An affidavit from the lienholder in possession that he has been in possession of the abandoned property for at least thirty (30) days and the owner of the abandoned property or holder of a security agreement has not made arrangements for payment of towing and storage charges;
An affidavit that the lienholder in possession has not been notified of any application for hearing as provided in this Section;
A copy of the abandoned property report or crime inquiry and inspection report;
A copy of the thirty (30) day notice given by certified mail to any owner and person holding a valid security interest and a copy of the certified mail receipt indicating that the owner and lienholder of record was sent a notice as required in this Section; and
A copy of the envelope or mailing container showing the address and postal markings indicating that the notice was "not forwardable" or "address unknown".
If notice to the owner and holder of a security agreement has been returned marked "not forwardable" or "addressee unknown", the lienholder in possession shall comply with Subsection (C) of this Section.
Abandoned property in the physical possession of the City may, upon compliance with the provisions of this Section, be sold and transferred by means of a bill of sale signed by the City Clerk or deputy and sealed with the official Municipal 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. Any dealer or other person purchasing such property from the City shall apply within thirty (30) days of purchase for a certificate. Anyone convicted of a violation of this Section shall be guilty of an infraction.
If the Director is satisfied with the genuineness of the application and supporting documents submitted pursuant to this Section, the Director shall issue one (1) of the following:
An original certificate of title if the vehicle owner has obtained a vehicle examination certificate as provided in Section 301.190, RSMo., which indicates that the vehicle was not previously in a salvaged condition or rebuilt;
An original certificate of title designated as prior salvage if the vehicle examination certificate as provided in Section 301.190, RSMo., indicates the vehicle was previously in a salvage condition or rebuilt;
A salvage certificate of title designated with the words "salvage/abandoned property" or junking certificate based on the condition of the abandoned property as stated in the abandoned property report or crime inquiry and inspection report;
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301.573, RSMo., to the contrary, if satisfied with the genuineness of the application and supporting documents, the Director shall issue an original title to abandoned property previously issued a salvage title as provided in this Section, if the vehicle examination certificate as provided in Section 301.190, RSMo., does not indicate the abandoned property was previously in a salvage condition or rebuilt.
If abandoned property is insured and the insurer of property regards the property as a total loss and the insurer satisfies a claim by the owner for the property, then the insurer or lienholder shall claim and remove the property from the storage facility or make arrangements to transfer the title, and such transfer of title subject to agreement shall be in complete satisfaction of all claims for towing and storage to the towing company or storage facility. The owner of the abandoned vehicle, lienholder or insurer, to the extent the vehicle owner's insurance policy covers towing and storage charges, shall pay reasonable fees assessed by the towing company and storage facility. The property shall be claimed and removed or title transferred to the towing company or storage facility within thirty (30) days of the date that the insurer paid a claim for the total loss of the property or is notified as to the location of the abandoned property, whichever is the later event. Upon request, the insurer of the property shall supply the towing company and storage facility with the name, address and phone number of the insurance company and of the insured and with a statement regarding which party is responsible for the payment of towing and storage charges under the insurance policy.
[Ord. No. 1574 §5, 2-12-2003]
If a person abandons property, as defined in Section 385.005, on any real property within the limits of the City and owned by another without the consent of the owner or person in possession of the property or on any real property of the City at the request of the person in possession of the real property, any member of the Plattsburg Police Department may authorize a towing company to remove such abandoned property from the property in the following circumstances:
The owner of real property or lessee or property or security manager in lawful possession of the real property may authorize a towing company to remove abandoned property or property parked in a restricted or assigned area without authorization by a Law Enforcement Officer only when the owner, lessee or property or security manager of the real property is present. A property or security manager must be a full-time employee of a business entity. An authorization to tow under this Subsection may be made only under any of the following circumstances:
There is displayed in plain view at all entrances to the property a sign not less than seventeen (17) by twenty-two (22) inches in size with lettering not less than one (1) inch in height prohibiting public parking and indicating that unauthorized abandoned property or property improperly parked in a restricted or assigned area will be removed at the owner's expense, disclosing the maximum fee for all charges related to towing and storage and containing the telephone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency where information can be obtained; or a twenty-four (24) hour staffed emergency information telephone number, other than the number of a towing company, by which the owner of the abandoned property or improperly parked property may call to receive information regarding the location of such owner's property; or
The abandoned property is on private property and lacks an engine, transmission, wheels, tires, doors, windshield or any other major part or equipment necessary to operate safely on the highways, the owner or lessee of the private property has notified the City Police or County Sheriff, as appropriate, and ninety-six (96) hours have elapsed since that notification; or
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 ten (10) days have elapsed since that notification.
Pursuant to this Section, any owner or lessee in lawful possession of real property that requests a towing company to tow abandoned property without authorization from a Law Enforcement Officer shall within one (1) hour of the tow file an abandoned property report with the Police Department. The report shall contain the following:
The signature and printed name, address and phone number of the owner, lessee or property or security manager in possession of the real property;
The name of the law enforcement agency notified of the abandoned property.
If a tow is authorized by the Police Department, a completed Missouri Department of Revenue "Authorization to Tow" form shall be issued by the authorizing officer to the tow operator for that company's records as proof of authorization to tow a particular vehicle.
The Police Department, upon receiving such abandoned property report, must record the date the abandoned property report is filed with the Department and within five (5) days of such filing 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 Police Department shall enter the information pertaining to the towed property into the statewide enforcement computer system.
Neither the Police Department, any officer thereof, nor anyone having custody of abandoned property under their 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.
Any towing company which tows abandoned property without authorization from a Police Department officer pursuant to Subdivision (1) of Subsection (B) of this Section shall within one (1) hour of the tow report the event and the circumstances to the law enforcement agency where the abandoned property report was filed.
The Police Department, upon receiving notification that abandoned property has been towed by a towing company, shall record the date the property was towed and shall forward a copy of the abandoned property report to the Missouri Director of Revenue.
If any owner or lessee of real property authorizes the removal of abandoned property pursuant to Subsection (B) of this Section and such property is so removed and no sign is displayed prior to such removal as required pursuant to Subsection (B) of this Section, then the owner or lessee shall be deemed guilty of an offense, punishable pursuant to Section 100.070.
[Ord. No. 1574 §6, 2-12-2003]
Notice as to the removal of any abandoned property pursuant to Sections 385.010 or 385.020 shall be made in writing within five (5) working days to the registered owner and any lienholder of the fact of the removal, the grounds for the removal, and the place to which the property has been removed by either:
The Police Officer or other agent or officer of the City authorizing the removal; or
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 385.020.
Except for the removal of abandoned property authorized by a Police Officer pursuant to Section 385.020, 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 (H) 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 person who knowingly violates any provision of this Chapter shall be guilty of an offense. 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 Missouri 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.
[Ord. No. 1574 §7, 2-12-2003]
A person commits the offense of abandoning a motor vehicle if he abandons any motor vehicle on the right-of-way of any public highway, street, road or alley or on or in any of the waters in this State or on the banks of any stream or on any land or water owned, operated or leased by the State, any board, department, agency or commission thereof or any political subdivision thereof including that of the City of Plattsburg or on any land or water owned, operated or leased by the Federal Government or on any private real property owned by another without his consent.
Abandoning a motor vehicle is punishable, upon conviction, by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment for a period of not exceeding ninety (90) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.