NEW ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT - New Albany, Ohio

A. Vehicles Obstructing
When an officer finds a vehicle that is left unattended upon the roadway in violation of a
traffic provision regarding stopping, standing, or parking and the vehicle is causing a
hazard/obstruction to the normal flow of traffic, he/she is authorized to impound the
vehicle. Officer should provide a reasonable amount of time for the owner/operator of an
unattended vehicle to arrive and move the vehicle before causing it to be towed.
B. Junk Motor Vehicles
A Junk Motor Vehicle is defined by New Albany Codified Ordinance 303.09 (a) as any
motor vehicle meeting all of the following requirements:
Left on private property for 48 hours or more without the permission of the property
owner
Left on a public street or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular
travel or parking
Left upon or within the right-of-way of any road or highway, for 48 hours or longer
Three years old, or older
Extensive damage (i.e. missing wheels, tires, motor, transmission)
A fair market value of $200.00 or less
If an officer receives a complaint of an abandoned Junk Motor Vehicle, as defined above,
and it has been left on private property without the permission of the person having the
right to the possession of the property or on a public street or other property open to the
public for vehicular travel or parking, the officer should complete an Abandoned Vehicle
Warning (PD-09-174)(see Addendum G) notice and place it in a conspicuous location on
the vehicle. Officers should attempt to contact the registered owner to have the vehicle
removed as soon as possible. If the abandoned Junk Motor Vehicle has not been
removed after 48 consecutive hours, the officer shall:
Complete an incident report
Complete a Vehicle Impound Form
Photograph the vehicle
Request a tow truck for removal
C. Abandoned Vehicles
An Abandoned Motor Vehicle is defined by New Albany Codified Ordinance 303.09 (b) as
a vehicle that has been left on private property for 72 hours or longer or a public street or
other property open to vehicular travel and parking for more than 48 consecutive hours
without the permission of the property owner. If an officer receives a complaint of an
abandoned motor vehicle, an Abandoned Vehicle Warning (PD-09-174) notice will be
placed in a conspicuous location on the vehicle and an attempt to contact the registered
owner will be made to have the vehicle removed as soon as possible. If the vehicle is on
private property and has not been removed after 72 hours or is on a public street or other
property open to vehicular travel for 48 consecutive hours, the officer shall follow the
above procedures (see Section B, above) and ticket the registered owner under New
Albany Codified Ordinance 303.08 (d)(a minor misdemeanor). The parking tickets shall
be attached to the Vehicle Impound Form and served on the owner when he/she is given
his/her copy of the vehicle’s release form.
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