Asked in Criminal Law for Alabama

Q: If your being arrested does the officer have the right to tow your vehicle

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1 Lawyer Answer
Nelson Craig Johnson
Nelson Craig Johnson
Answered
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Licensed in Alabama

A: If you are arrested while operating a vehicle the officer does have the option to tow your vehicle. If you have a passenger that is not being arrested the officer has the option to allow that person to take the vehicle for you if you consent.

Similarly, if you are arrested on someone else's property and your vehicle is on their property as well, they can request that the officer remove the vehicle from their property.

You should also be aware that you will be responsible for any tow fees or storage fees that result from the arrest. If you are going to be remaining in jail for an extended period of time and are unable to retrieve the vehicle yourself, you should have someone go and pick up the vehicle for you to avoid having daily storage fees pile up on you.

If it was an improper arrest that would make the decision to tow the vehicle improper as well. If you believe you have been unlawfully arrested you should contact a criminal defense attorney in your area to discuss the facts and circumstances of your arrest.

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