How long can police hold a vehicle hostage?

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  • CHCRandy

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    If a vehicle is involved in a police chase, driver arrested, car crashed, impounded and held for a search warrant......how long can police hold it before they have to get the warrant or release the car to insurance? I have been told they must obtain warrant within 2 weeks, can any of you guys confirm that?

    Thanks.
     

    TangoFoxtrot

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    If a vehicle is involved in a police chase, driver arrested, car crashed, impounded and held for a search warrant......how long can police hold it before they have to get the warrant or release the car to insurance? I have been told they must obtain warrant within 2 weeks, can any of you guys confirm that?

    Thanks.
    They can hold it as evidence which can be until the case is over

    Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
     

    KellyinAvon

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    If a vehicle is involved in a police chase, driver arrested, car crashed, impounded and held for a search warrant......how long can police hold it before they have to get the warrant or release the car to insurance? I have been told they must obtain warrant within 2 weeks, can any of you guys confirm that?

    Thanks.

    Is this your car that was stolen ages ago, Randy?
     

    CHCRandy

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    Is this your car that was stolen ages ago, Randy?

    No, that one got located when it was involved in a crash in Shelby county several months later. The lady that stole it hit another lady and broke her back, a snowplow driver stopped to help the hurt lady and the thief jumped in his snow plow truck and stole it. What a mess that was.

    Heck, the guy driving this one has been arrested about 20 times, around 3-4 times as a felon in possession of firearm...and he was or'd out the next day, but the car he didn't even own is still a prisoner 11 days later, lol.

    Just to be clear this is not my vehicle. I am just hearing the story second handed and thought it sounded odd that they could hold a vehicle that long. I would think they would search it and that be it.
     

    KellyinAvon

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    No, that one got located when it was involved in a crash in Shelby county several months later. The lady that stole it hit another lady and broke her back, a snowplow driver stopped to help the hurt lady and the thief jumped in his snow plow truck and stole it. What a mess that was.

    Heck, the guy driving this one has been arrested about 20 times, around 3-4 times as a felon in possession of firearm...and he was or'd out the next day, but the car he didn't even own is still a prisoner 11 days later, lol.

    Just to be clear this is not my vehicle. I am just hearing the story second handed and thought it sounded odd that they could hold a vehicle that long. I would think they would search it and that be it.

    WOW!
     

    churchmouse

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    No, that one got located when it was involved in a crash in Shelby county several months later. The lady that stole it hit another lady and broke her back, a snowplow driver stopped to help the hurt lady and the thief jumped in his snow plow truck and stole it. What a mess that was.

    Heck, the guy driving this one has been arrested about 20 times, around 3-4 times as a felon in possession of firearm...and he was or'd out the next day, but the car he didn't even own is still a prisoner 11 days later, lol.

    Just to be clear this is not my vehicle. I am just hearing the story second handed and thought it sounded odd that they could hold a vehicle that long. I would think they would search it and that be it.

    Do you really think the system is in any hurry.......:):
     

    KokomoDave

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    My son's care was in impound until the case was over and the thief went to prison. His insurance company was p.o.'ed as was he. He learned a valuable lesson to not let your grampamobile warm up at the petrol station.
     

    CHCRandy

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    My son's care was in impound until the case was over and the thief went to prison. His insurance company was p.o.'ed as was he. He learned a valuable lesson to not let your grampamobile warm up at the petrol station.

    What does the insurance do? After 30 days I guess they have to pay it off (if full coverage) or is it considered recovered when it is impounded? The story I am getting is the cop is who has a hold on it....wanting a search warrant, but he has never even filed paperwork for a warrant. Did your son hire a lawyer?
     

    KokomoDave

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    Since his vehicle was PL/PD, the insurance company offered to pay for the car. My son took the money and bought the car back in the end. A drunk driver thought it would make a good hood ornament 6 weeks after he got it back.
     

    CHCRandy

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    So the person in possession of the car has more rights than the owner. That just not right and I agree we are missing something here.

    All I know for sure is the driver was found by K9, arrested and had about 6-7-8 charges on him (this I verified), driving while suspended, resisting law enforcement, fleeing using vehicle, knowingly driving while suspended within 10 years, paraphernalia and other misd. charges and they or'd him out of Morgan County less than 24 hours later. $4000 cash bond waived to zero. The vehicle owner, no previous criminal record.....who was riding shotgun and a back seat passenger surrendered upon crash and waited for cops, they were not charged and released and made to walk back to civilization where they called me to pick them up. Vehicle was impounded with personal property still in it, drivers license, debit card, check book, work id, etc.

    The next day tow company said vehicle was free to be removed when fees paid, insurance showed up and was told a hold was put on vehicle by officer. Owner contacted officer and he said he wanted a warrant to search vehicle, they offered consent but it didn't matter, officer said he would get warrant that evening. That was 10-11 days ago. Tow company says no search as of yet. The owner has consulted with a few attorneys and keeps getting different opinions.

    I do know the back seat passenger had a pack of 22 bullets in his jacket where he was going to his mee-maws to shoot his rifle the next day. The cops kept wanting to know where the gun was. I am wondering that since the driver has at least 3 prior convictions of felon in possession of a gun, if maybe they think there is a gun in that car?? But I really doubt it and wouldn't they have searched that evening in the car for it?

    It all sounds expensive to me.....glad I never danced on the dark side, or got caught dancing.
     

    04FXSTS

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    I have heard of tow/impound companies sometimes have ongoing deals with the police. Could the officer have something going on to run up the storage charges or just wants to be a PITA to the owner? Jim.
     

    KokomoDave

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    The D.A. told my son that since the case involved his car, the prima facie evidence had to stay if the bad guy's defense wanted to view the car. Sometimes pictures aren't good enough for a case to proceed against the defendant and until the evidence is rebutted or accepted, the vehicle had to set. Trials are not always speedy but must done A , B , C ,etc.. .
     
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