(1) If an abandoned vehicle is appraised at a value of $500 or less by a person who holds a certificate issued under ORS 819.480, the person that towed the vehicle shall:
(a) Notify the registered owner and secured parties as provided in subsection (3) of this section;
(b) Photograph the vehicle;
(c) Notify the Department of Transportation that the vehicle will be disposed of; and
(d) Unless the vehicle is claimed by a person entitled to possession of it within 15 days of the date of notice under subsection (3) of this section, dispose of the vehicle and its contents to a person who holds a valid dismantler certificate issued under ORS 822.110.
(2) The authority that requests towing of an abandoned vehicle shall provide to the person that tows the vehicle, at the time of the tow or as soon as possible thereafter, a written statement that contains the name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle, as shown by records of the department, and the names and addresses of any persons claiming interests in the vehicle, as shown by records of the department.
(3) Within 48 hours after the written statement is provided under subsection (2) of this section to a person that tows a vehicle, the person must give written notice to the persons whose names are furnished in the statement. The 48-hour period does not include Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. The notice shall state that a person that is entitled to possession of the vehicle has 15 days from the date the notice was mailed to claim the vehicle and that if the vehicle is not claimed, it will be disposed of as provided in this section.
(4) If the authority that requests towing of an abandoned vehicle does not provide to the person that tows the vehicle the written statement within 48 hours after the vehicle is towed, the person may dispose of the vehicle as provided in ORS 819.210.
(5) Disposal of a vehicle to a dismantler as provided in this section extinguishes all prior ownership and possessory rights.
(6) The department shall adopt rules specifying the form in which notification to the department required by subsection (1) of this section shall be submitted and what information shall be conveyed to the department. The person that tows the vehicle may submit to the dismantler a copy of any notification submitted to the department under this section instead of submitting to the dismantler ownership or other title documents for the vehicle. [1993 c.326 §2; 1995 c.758 §16; 2005 c.654 §29; 2009 c.371 §16]