§392. Impounding of vehicles; prohibitions

A.(1) Upon discovery of any vehicle operated in violation of this Chapter, the vehicle shall not be impounded but shall be directed to and followed by the weights and standards police officer or state policeman to the nearest appropriate place suitable for unloading to its licensed gross weight or maximum size requirements as provided in this Chapter and storage of said product to preserve it for its intended use in commerce and in either case shall be detained or unloaded at the expense and responsibility of the owner or driver. The commissioner shall not detain or impound any vehicle issued a violation ticket for any violation of the provisions of R.S. 32:380 through 387 prior to the final disposition of the violation ticket.

(2) When used in this Subsection, the phrase "minor traffic violation" shall mean any violation of the Highway Regulatory Act as provided for in this Title. However, R.S. 32:380 through 387 are exempted from this definition.

(a) "Perishable products" means products which are subject to lose their commercial value or decay in a short period of time, including but not limited to agricultural or seafood products and concrete.

(b) "Products once loaded which become indivisible" means products divisible by nature, but which become indivisible once loaded upon a vehicle because the required manner or method of unloading would be such that the entire load or portion of the load required to be unloaded could not be preserved for its intended use in commerce, or which endangers the public safety, including but not limited to forest products in their natural state.

B. A vehicle impounded for violations of the provisions of this Chapter other than R.S. 32:380 through R.S. 32:387 shall be detained until released by any court or committing magistrate having jurisdiction over the offense. The court or committing magistrate having jurisdiction over an offense involving a vehicle shall not order or allow the release of the vehicle prior to the full satisfaction of all penalties or charges assessed on account of the offense, except upon the execution of an appearance bond in the maximum amount of such penalties and charges, with good and solvent surety approved by the court or committing magistrate.

C. Repealed by Acts 2001, No. 1201, §2.

Acts 1962, No. 310, §1. Amended by Acts 1975, No. 120, §1; Acts 1976, No. 178, §1; Acts 1977, No. 113, §1, eff. June 22, 1977; Acts 1995, No. 527, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1201, §§1 and 2; Acts 2010, No. 320, §1, eff. July 1, 2010.