Towing Issues: car towed after crash, snowy roads, fremont county

Question
I drove my car into a ditch and hit a tree. It was caused by snowy roads. It was on private property.  It happened around midnight. No other cars involved No other people involved so I locked my car and walked back to the friends house. He said he would help me get it out in the morning. when we got back the car had been towed. I live in Fremont county in Colorado. Did the police have the right to tow my car without permission?

Answer
Well first of all you admit you had an accident when you hit the tree. That is property damage.  Second you did not call the police to report it, and then you left the scene. That can be considered "HIT AND RUN"

Now I am going to bet that someone else drove past the vehicle in the ditch and against the tree, and called the police who in turn rolled out with the fire department and medics to the scene to see if you were there, alive, hurt, or dead. IT HAPPENS THAT WAY ALL THE TIME.

Now since they did not find anyone, most of the time they do have the vehicle towed, and generally a "HOLD" is placed on the vehicle which means that they want to talk to the driver.
They do not know if the vehicle was stolen, used in a crime, if the driver was drunk, or what ever. They are doing their job.

They can tow your vehicle without your permission as you were not there and by your own admission, you said that you went to a friends house.  
What if the police were there and either called your house, or went there to see if you were ok. Where you home?


See what I am getting at in the last point. They did what they could and to protect the property and public (another car might slide off and hit yours) they had the "accident hazard" removed.

YUP you get to pay unless you turn it into your insurance company as a claim and then that will affect your insurance rates.


Hope this helps.