Washington County Vehicle Impound Guide

Pine Tree Towing & Recovery handles most law-enforcement tows in the Marietta area, out of a terminal at 174 Enterprise Drive — an industrial-park location with no practical public transit access, so getting there usually means a rideshare or a ride from family. Dispatch runs 24/7, but the office that actually processes releases only operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Calling the main line before heading over, and arriving by 4:30 p.m. rather than cutting it close to closing, avoids getting pushed into an extra day of storage over a few minutes.

The License Suspension Blocks the Owner

An OVI arrest typically triggers an immediate Administrative License Suspension, which creates an odd catch: the registered owner has to be physically present with proof of ownership and insurance to authorize release, but that same person legally can't drive the car away since their license was just confiscated. A second person with a valid license has to be there specifically to get behind the wheel. If the owner can't be present at all, the lot generally requires a notarized letter of authorization before releasing the vehicle to anyone else.

Repeat Offenders Face Actual Seizure, Not Just a Tow

For a driver with two or more prior OVI convictions within the past ten years, Ohio Revised Code 4511.195 doesn't just authorize a routine tow — it mandates seizure of the vehicle and its plates. Once that happens, the towing company can't release the car without a written "police hold release" from the arresting agency, and the only way to get the vehicle back sooner is filing a motion with Marietta Municipal Court at the initial appearance, where a judge decides the release terms — sometimes including a mandatory ignition interlock device as a condition.

You Can Still Get Your Belongings

Ohio law allows retrieving personal items — not the car itself, just what's inside it — without paying the tow fee first, as long as those items aren't being held as evidence. Trying to collect them outside normal business hours, though, can trigger a separate after-hours fee.

If the Fee Seems Wrong

A towing company that doesn't provide a written estimate when asked is legally capped at charging no more than 25% of the standard PUCO-regulated rate. Fees above that, or a tow believed to be improper, can be challenged, but the practical first step is still paying what's undisputed to get the vehicle moving before storage fees pile up further.