§ 305. Authority to impound vehicles.

A.

Members of the Police Department are hereby authorized to remove or cause to be removed a vehicle from a street or highway to the nearest garage designated or maintained by the Police Department or otherwise maintained by the City of Tulsa under the circumstances hereinafter enumerated:

1.

When a vehicle has been declared a nuisance and ordered impounded by the court under the provisions of Section 505 of this title;

2.

When a vehicle is left unattended upon any bridge, viaduct or causeway or in any tube or tunnel where such vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic;

3.

When a vehicle upon a street or highway is so disabled or defective as to constitute an obstruction or hazard to traffic and/or the person or persons in charge of the vehicle are by reason of physical injury incapacitated to such an extent as to be unable to provide for its custody or removal;

4.

When a vehicle is left unattended upon a street by reason of arrest of the driver or otherwise, or is so parked upon a street, highway or other public way as to constitute a definite hazard or obstruction to the normal movement of traffic;

5.

When a vehicle is parked or left standing in excess of twenty-four (24) hours in violation of Section 519 of this title; or

6.

When a vehicle is stopped by a police officer for an alleged violation of a City traffic ordinance or state traffic law or other ordinance or law applicable to the operation of a vehicle on a roadway, or a vehicle has been involved in an accident or collision investigated by a police officer, and the police officer has probable cause that the vehicle is not insured as required by the Compulsory Insurance Law of the state of Oklahoma. If, however, the owner or operator of the vehicle produces what appears to be a valid security verification form and the police officer is unable to confirm compliance through the online verification system or noncompliance by a subsequent investigation, the police officer shall be prohibited from impounding the vehicle and causing such vehicle to be towed and stored.

B.

If the vehicle impounded has not been reclaimed within twenty-four (24) hours of the time of its impoundment, the Police Department of the City of Tulsa shall notify the vehicle's registered owner at the address provided by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety of the place of impoundment of the vehicle.

(Ord. No. 13992; Ord. No. 22631, § 1, 2-23-2012)