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Impoundment City, USA
New Athens ordinance nets haul of vehicles, 174 since Aug. 9


By Holly Hollman
hhollman@decaturdaily.com · 340-2445


ATHENS — Get a 170-piece Lego set and dump the contents in the floor.

Look at all those pieces and then imagine there are that many drivers on city roadways who do not have a license.

Can’t imagine it? Well, there are more than that many taking to the streets.

Between Aug. 9 and Friday, Athens police caught 174 of them and impounded that many vehicles because the
drivers did not have licenses, Capt. Tracy Harrison said.

In June, the City Council approved an impound ordinance that requires officers to have a vehicle impounded if the driver does not have a license or is driving with a revoked or suspended license.

An owner must pay the wrecker company any tow charges and pay the city a $25 administrative fee to retrieve a vehicle. Harrison said 55 of the 174 vehicles remained impounded Friday.

Laura Reinhardt, office manager for Berzett Wrecker Services, said most people have been cooperative.

“We’ve had a couple people who weren’t thrilled about not being able to just come get their vehicle but having to go the police first,â€