Sec.14-63-37b. Emergency access to stored vehicles

(a) Where a wrecker service has in storage or in its custody a towed motor vehicle, and where the motor vehicle contains personal property which is essential to the health or welfare of any person, the wrecker service shall permit the owner or person entitled to custody of such vehicle, or his authorized designee, to have access to the vehicle and remove therefrom the essential personal property.

(b) Access to such vehicle shall be requested by placing a telephone call to the wrecker service at its published telephone number, and such access shall be permitted by the wrecker service as soon as is practicable and within a reasonable time. A time agreed to by the parties for access to such vehicle shall be considered reasonable, except that in the absence of an agreement access to such vehicle shall be permitted by the wrecker service within a time not to exceed four hours from the time of the request.

(c) The wrecker service may require the person removing the personal property to sign a receipt for the property removed from the stored vehicle.

(d) This section shall not apply to vehicles which have been designated by a law enforcement officer to be secured pending a search warrant or other investigation.

(Effective May 1, 1990)