§ 66-71. Removal of vehicles.

(a)

Whenever any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer or part thereof is:

(1)

Left unattended on a public highway or other public property and constitutes a traffic hazard;

(2)

Illegally parked;

(3)

Left unattended for more than ten days either on public property or on private property without the permission of the property owner, lessee or occupant; or

(4)

Immobilized on a public roadway by weather conditions or other emergency situation;

such motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or part thereof may be removed for safekeeping by or under the direction of a law-enforcement officer to a storage garage or area, provided that no such vehicle or part thereof shall be so removed from private property without the written request of the owner, lessee or occupant thereof. The person at whose request such motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or part thereof is removed from private property shall indemnify the town against any loss or expense incurred by reason of removal, storage or sale thereof.

(b)

It shall be presumed that such motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or part thereof, is abandoned if:

(1)

It lacks either:

a.

A current license plate;

b.

A current county, city or town license plate or sticker; or

c.

A valid state inspection certificate or sticker.

(2)

It has been in a specific location for four days without being moved.

(c)

Each removal shall be reported as promptly as possible to the chief of police, and notice thereof shall be given to the owner of the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer as promptly as possible.

(d)

The owner of such vehicle, trailer, semitrailer or part thereof, before obtaining possession thereof, shall pay to the parties entitled thereto all costs incidental to the removal and storage of such vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or part thereof, as well as the costs of locating such owner. Should such owner fail or refuse to pay the cost or should the identity or whereabouts of such owner be unknown and unascertainable after a diligent search has been made, and after notice to him at his last known address and to the holder of any lien of record in the office of the state department of motor vehicles against the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or part thereof, the vehicle shall be treated as an abandoned vehicle under the provisions of Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1200 et seq.

(Code 1992, § 11-61)

State Law reference— Abandoned vehicles, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1200 et seq.; removal and disposition of unattended or immobile vehicles, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1213.

(Code 1992, § 11-61)

State law reference

Abandoned vehicles, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1200 et seq.; removal and disposition of unattended or immobile vehicles, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1213.