Abandonment of a Motor Vehicle

If you or a family member have been charged with Abandonment of a Motor Vehicle, you are going to need assistance from a skilled and confident attorney right away. The sooner you obtain legal representation, the easier it will be to navigate the criminal justice system.

Call the Law offices of Jason R. Gardner today at (303) 552-1720 to setup a free consultation appointment, fill out the Contact Form on this page, or click on the button below to schedule a consultation.

What is the Abandonment of a Motor Vehicle?

  • Abandonment of a Motor Vehicle is when a person leaves their automobile in a public place for more than seven days, leaves their automobile without any license plates or other identifying marks, the automobile is so damaged it is considered junk, or the owner of the automobile has been told to move the vehicle by law enforcement and they refuse to do so.

  • Abandonment of a Motor Vehicle is a Petty Offense, which carries a penalty of up to 10 days in jail, and a fine of up to $300, or both.

C.R.S. 18-4-512 - Abandonment of a Motor Vehicle

(1) Any person who abandons any motor vehicle upon a street, highway, right-of-way, or any other public property, or upon any private property without the express consent of the owner or person in lawful charge of that private property commits abandonment of a motor vehicle.

(2) To ”abandon“ means to leave a thing with the intention not to retain possession of or assert ownership over it. The intent need not coincide with the act of leaving.

(3) It is prima facie evidence of the necessary intent that:

(a) The motor vehicle has been left for more than seven days unattended and unmoved; or

(b) License plates or other identifying marks have been removed from the motor vehicle; or

(c) The motor vehicle has been damaged or is deteriorated so extensively that it has value only for junk or salvage; or

(d) The owner has been notified by a law enforcement agency to remove the motor vehicle, and it has not been removed within three days after notification.

(4) Abandonment of a motor vehicle is a petty offense.

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