(a)
Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle standing upon a street
or roadway in violation of any of the provisions of this article,
such officer is hereby authorized to move such vehicle or require
the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move the same,
to a position off the roadway.
(b)
Whenever any police officer finds a vehicle unattended upon a street
or roadway where such vehicle, in his opinion, constitutes an obstruction
or hazard to traffic, such officer is hereby authorized to provide
for the removal of such vehicle to the nearest garage or other place
of safety.
(c)
Any police officer is hereby authorized to remove a vehicle from
a street or roadway to the nearest garage or other place of safety,
or to a garage designated or maintained by the city under the circumstances
hereinafter enumerated:
(1)
When any vehicle is left unattended upon any street or roadway where
such vehicle constitutes an obstruction or hazard to traffic;
(2)
When any vehicle is parked in violation of this article;
(3)
When any vehicle is found upon a street or roadway and report has
previously been made that such vehicle has been stolen or complaint
has been filed and warrant thereon issued charging that such vehicle
has been embezzled;
(4)
When any such officer has reasonable grounds to believe that any
vehicle has been abandoned for longer than 48 hours;
(5)
When a vehicle upon a street or roadway is so disabled that its normal
operation is impossible or impracticable and the person in charge
of the vehicle is incapacitated by reason of physical injury or other
reason to such an extent as to be unable to provide for its removal
or custody, or is not in the immediate vicinity of a disabled vehicle;
(6)
When an officer arrests any person driving or in control of a vehicle
for an alleged offense or such officer is by law required to take
the person arrested immediately before a magistrate.
(d)
Any police officer is hereby authorized to remove any vehicle parked
or standing in or on any portion of a street or roadway when, in the
opinion of the officer, the vehicle constitutes a hazard, or interferes
with a normal function of a governmental agency, or by reason of any
catastrophe, emergency or unusual circumstance the safety of such
vehicle is imperiled.
(1996 Code, sec. 82-221)
Whenever any motor vehicle without driver is found parked, standing
or stopped in violation of any of the restrictions imposed by the
laws of this city or by state law, a police officer shall take its
registration number and may take any other information displayed on
the vehicle which may identify its owner, and shall conspicuously
affix to such vehicle a citation setting forth the applicable charge
in writing on a form provided by the city, and directing the driver
to answer to such charge within 12 days, during the hours and at a
place specified in the citation.
(1996 Code, sec. 82-222)
In any prosecution charging a violation of any law or regulation
governing the standing, stopping or parking of a vehicle, proof that
the particular vehicle described in the complaint was standing, stopped
or parked in violation of such law or regulation, together with proof
that the defendant named in the complaint was at the time of such
violation the registered owner of the vehicle, shall constitute in
evidence a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of such
vehicle was the person who stood, stopped or parked such vehicle at
the point where, and for the time during which, such violation occurred.
(1996 Code, sec. 82-223)
