Any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or part thereof left for more than ten days
in a garage operated for commercial purposes after notice by registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested, to the owner to pick up the vehicle, or for more than
ten days after the period when, pursuant to contract, the vehicle was to remain on
the premises, shall be deemed an abandoned motor vehicle, and may be reported by the
garage keeper to the county administrator. All abandoned motor vehicles left in garages
may be taken into custody by the county in accordance with this article and shall
be subject to the notice and sale provisions as provided in this article; provided,
that if such vehicle is reclaimed in accordance with the preceding sections, the person
reclaiming such vehicle shall, in addition to the other charges required to be paid,
pay the charges of the garage keeper, if any; provided further, that if such vehicle
is sold as hereinabove provided, the garage keeper's charges, if any, shall be paid
from, and to the extent of, the excess of the proceeds of sale after paying the expenses
of the auction, the costs of towing, preserving and storing such vehicle which resulted
from placing such vehicle in custody and all notice and publication costs incurred.
(10-3-74, § 5; 9-21-17.)
