Law Enforcement Non-Consensual Towing

A motor vehicle is abandoned if:

• The motor vehicle is inoperable, is more than five years old, and has been left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours;
• The motor vehicle has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours;
• The motor vehicle has remained on private property without the consent of the owner or person in charge of the property for more than 48 hours;
• The motor vehicle has been left unattended on the right-of-way of a designated county, state, or federal highway for more than 48 hours;
• The motor vehicle has been left unattended for more than 24 hours on the right-of-way of a turnpike project constructed and maintained by the Texas Turnpike Authority division of the Texas Department of Transportation or a controlled access highway; or is considered an abandoned motor vehicle under Section 644.153(r)

The following are circumstances where the Sheriff's Office has authority to impound and tow vehicles under the guidance of the Texas Transportation Code §545.305, and Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2.12.

• When the vehicle has been disabled in a traffic accident and the owner/operator is not at the scene or is unable to exercise that right.
• When the vehicle is unattended and the deputy has reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle has been abandoned for longer than 48 hours
• When the vehicle is disabled so that normal operation is impossible or impractical and the owner or person in charge of the vehicle is incapacitated and unable to provide for the vehicle's removal or custody or the owner or person in charge of the vehicle is not in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle
• When the vehicle is disabled so that normal operation is impossible or impractical and the owner or person in charge of the vehicle does not designate a particular towing or storage company;
• When the vehicle is operated by a person a deputy arrests for an alleged offense and the deputy is required by law to take the person into custody
• When in the opinion of the deputy, a hazard interferes with a normal function of a governmental agency, or because of a catastrophe, emergency, or unusual circumstance is imperiled.
• When the vehicle is illegally parked in violation of a Texas State Statute.
  

Examples would include blocking the roadway, blocking the entrance to a private driveway, parking within an intersection or crosswalk, parking too close to a fire hydrant or traffic control sign, and several other reasons. If your vehicle becomes disabled on a traffic-way or roadway and it is a hazard or impedes traffic, it will be impounded.

This office has a contractual agreement with numerous towing companies throughout this county for service as it applies to Law Enforcement initiated tows. With this mechanism in place, the Nolan County Sheriff's Office can protect the public with the use of towing regulated pricing and rules.