5299

No person shall abandon a vehicle on a public road or any abutting public or private area.\nAny vehicle that has been abandoned by its owner on a public road or an abutting public or private area, which has not been removed by said owner as required to do so by the Police, within a term of twenty-four (24) hours, may be removed by any of the persons mentioned in § 5298 of this title, and driven to the site mentioned in subsection (b) of § 5178 of this title, where it will be deposited and available to its owner. When the owner of the vehicle, as shown by the records of the Department, is required to move the vehicle, the Police shall warn him/her that if he/she does not claim its delivery, it shall be disposed of in the same manner and for the purposes stated in said § 5178 of this title.\nFor the effects of this section, it shall be presumed that a vehicle has been abandoned if it is found unattended on a public road or any abutting public or private area for a period of more than twenty-four hours.\nIn the case of dismantled or useless vehicles, the procedure established in this section for the disposal of abandoned vehicles shall be followed, provided they can be identified or

enty-four hours.\nIn the case of dismantled or useless vehicles, the procedure established in this section for the disposal of abandoned vehicles shall be followed, provided they can be identified or the owner is known. Otherwise, the vehicle shall be taken to the place mentioned in subsection (b) of § 5178 of this title, in which it will remain deposited for a period of thirty (30) days at the disposal of its owner. If its delivery is not claimed within said period, the Police or the municipality may dispose of it in the manner they deem is necessary.\nFor the purposes of this section, a dismantled or useless vehicle is understood to be one that lacks a motor or other essential part for its propulsion, and whose control and possession have been abandoned by its owner in the form and for the term indicated above.\nHistory —Jan. 7, 2000, No. 22, § 10.19, eff. 1 year after Jan. 7, 2000.