§ 26-163.02. Outstanding traffic and parking violation notices; impoundment.

(a)

Any unattended motor vehicle found parked at any time upon any public street in Prince George's County, or any parking facility owned or operated by the Revenue Authority or Prince George's County, against which there are two or more outstanding or otherwise unsettled traffic and/or parking violation notices or against which there have been issued two or more warrants, may, by, or under the direction of the County Police Department either by towing or otherwise, be removed or conveyed to and impounded in any place designated by the Chief of Police or the Revenue Authority, or immobilized in such manner as to prevent its operation, except that no such vehicle shall be immobilized by any means other than by the use of a device or other mechanism which will cause no damage to such vehicle unless it is moved while such device or mechanism is in place.

(b)

Any motor vehicle or mobile food unit employed in mobile vending parked at any time upon any public street in Prince George's County in the right-of-way or on private property against which there are one or more traffic and/or parking violation citations or against which there have been issued two or more warrants, may, by, or under the direction of the County Police Department either by towing or otherwise, be removed or conveyed to and impounded in any place designated by the Chief of Police or the Revenue Authority, or immobilized in such manner as to prevent its operation, except that no such vehicle shall be immobilized by any means other than by the use of a device or other mechanism which will cause no damage to such vehicle unless it is moved while such device or mechanism is in place. The first date of impoundment within three hundred sixty five (365) days of the first citation shall result in a fine or fees not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) to obtain the vehicle. The second act of impoundment and subsequent acts of impoundment within three hundred sixty five (365) days of the first act of impoundment shall result in a fine or fees not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), notwithstanding subsection (c) and (d).

(c)

The impoundment or immobilization of a vehicle shall be done pursuant to Division 18 of this Subtitle. In any case involving immobilization of a vehicle pursuant to this Subsection, such member or officer shall cause to be placed on such vehicle, in a conspicuous manner, notice sufficient to warn any individual to the effect that such vehicle has been immobilized and that any attempt to move such vehicle might result in damage to such vehicle.

(d)

The owner of such impounded or immobilized motor vehicle, or other duly authorized person, shall be permitted to repossess or to secure the release of the vehicle upon presentation of a "Certificate of No Probable Cause" or upon satisfaction of all outstanding traffic and/or parking violation notices and reimbursement of all towing, storage, and other costs incurred as a result of the impoundment or immobilization.

(CB-111-1979; CB-124-1982; CB-81-1998; CB-79-2001; CB-51-2015)