§ 18-4-512 — Abandonment of a motor vehicle

Colorado § 18-4-512

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 18: Criminal
• Art.: Offenses Against Property

Text

(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.

Legislative History

Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 432, � 1. C.R.S. 1963: � 40-4-512. L. 2021: (4) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3180, � 219, effective March 1, 2022.