§ 94-200. Definitions.

In this article, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:

Accident means any occurrence that renders a vehicle wrecked or disabled.

Chief of police means the chief of police of the City of Saginaw, or his designated representative.

City means the City of Saginaw, Texas.

Consent tow means the towing of a vehicle at the request of the owner or operator of the vehicle.

Disabled vehicle means a vehicle that has been rendered unsafe to be driven as the result of some occurrence, including, but not limited to mechanical failure or breakdown, fire or vandalism, or a motor vehicle that is in a safe driving condition but whose owner or operator is not present, able or permitted to drive so as to reasonably necessitate that the vehicle be removed by a wrecker.

Motor vehicle means every vehicle which is self propelled.

Nonconsent tow means the towing of a vehicle without the prearranged knowledge and consent of the owner or operator of the vehicle. Examples include, but are not limited to, vehicles towed when the driver is incapacitated following an accident, vehicles towed when the driver has been arrested, vehicles removed from public property without prenotification of the vehicle owner, and seizures, and vehicles towed from private property without prenotification of the vehicle owner as provided by this article.

Nonresident wrecker operator means a wrecker or tow truck operator registered with the State of Texas who does not maintain a place of business within the corporate limits of the City of Saginaw.

Person means an individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.

Vehicle means every mechanical device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

Wrecked vehicle means a discarded, abandoned, junked, wrecked or worn out vehicle that is not in a condition to be lawfully operated on a public road.

Wrecker or tow truck means a vehicle designed to be used primarily for removing wrecked or disabled vehicles which is equipped with a mechanical device used to tow, winch, or otherwise move a vehicle, and which charges a fee for its services.

Wrecker or tow truck operator means a person engaged in the business of using a wrecker to tow, winch or otherwise move a vehicle.

(Ord. No. 2004-16, § I, 10-19-04)