For the purpose of this chapter, the following words shall have the
meanings ascribed to them as follows:
ABANDONED VEHICLE
All motor vehicles or other vehicles in a state of disrepair rendering
the vehicle incapable of being driven in its condition; or any motor vehicle
or other vehicle that has not been moved or used for seven consecutive days
or more and is apparently deserted.
ANTIQUE VEHICLE
Any motor vehicle or other vehicle 25 years of age or older.
HIGHWAY
Any street, alley, or public way within the City of Crystal Lake.
The abandonment of a motor vehicle or other vehicle or any part thereof
on any highway in this municipality is unlawful and subject to penalties as
set forth herein. The abandonment of a motor vehicle or other vehicle or any
part thereof on public property, other than a highway, in view of the general
public, anywhere in this municipality is unlawful.
When an abandoned, lost, stolen or unclaimed motor vehicle or other
vehicle comes into the temporary possession or custody of a person in this
state, not the owner of the vehicle, such person shall immediately notify
the municipal Police Department when the vehicle is within the corporate limits
of the municipality. Upon receipt of such notification, the Chief of the municipal
Police Department shall authorize a towing service to remove and take possession
of the abandoned, lost, stolen or unclaimed motor vehicle or other vehicle.
The towing service will safely keep the towed vehicle and its contents, maintain
a record of the tow until the vehicle is claimed by the owner or any other
person legally entitled to possession thereof, or until it is disposed of
as provided in this chapter.
When a motor vehicle or other vehicle is authorized to be towed away,
the Police Department shall keep and maintain a record of the vehicle towed,
listing the color, year of manufacture, manufacturer's trade name, manufacturer's
series name, body style, vehicle identification number and license plate year
and number displayed on the vehicle. The record shall also include the date
and hour of tow, location towed from, location towed to, reason for towing
and the name of the officer authorizing the tow.
When the registered owner or other person legally entitled to the possession
of a motor vehicle or other vehicle cannot be identified from the registration
files of this state or from the registration files of a foreign state, if
applicable, the Police Department shall notify the Illinois State Police for
the purpose of identifying the vehicle's owner or other person legally entitled
to the possession of the vehicle. The information obtained by the Illinois
State Police will be immediately forwarded to the law enforcement agency having
custody of the vehicle for notification of owner.
Any time before a motor vehicle or other vehicle is sold at public sale
or disposed of as provided herein, the owner or other person legally entitled
to its possession may reclaim the vehicle by presenting to the Police Department
proof of ownership or proof of the right to possession of the vehicle. No
vehicle shall be released to the owner or other person under this chapter
until all towing and storage charges have been paid.
When a motor vehicle or other vehicle in the custody of the Police Department
is reclaimed by the registered owner or other legally entitled person, or
when the vehicle is sold at public sale or otherwise disposed of as provided
in this chapter, a report of the transaction will be maintained by the Police
Department for a period of one year from the date of the sale or disposal.
When a vehicle located within the corporate limits of this municipality
is authorized to be towed away by the Chief of Police and disposed of as set
forth in this chapter, the proceeds of the public sale or disposition after
the deduction of towing, storage and processing charges shall be deposited
in the municipal treasury.
Any police officer, towing service owner, operator or employee shall
not be held to answer or be liable for damages in any action brought by the
registered owner, former registered owner, or his/her legal representative,
or any other person legally entitled to the possession of a motor vehicle
or other vehicle when the vehicle was processed and sold or disposed of as
provided by the chapter.