257.675c Stopping, standing, or parking violations; registered owner as person prima facie responsible for violation; affirmative defense; civil action; written indemnification agreement; applicability of subsection (3) to leased vehicle; issuing citation to operator.

Sec. 675c.

    (1) Except as provided in section 675b or 675e, if a vehicle is stopped, standing, or parked in violation of section 672, 674, 674a, 675, or 676, or other state statute, or a local ordinance prohibiting or restricting the stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle and the violation is a civil infraction, the person in whose name that vehicle is registered in this state or another state at the time of the violation is prima facie responsible for that violation and subject to section 907.

    (2) The owner of a vehicle cited for a stopping, standing, or parking violation under subsection (1) may assert as an affirmative defense that the vehicle, at the time of the violation, was in the possession of an individual who the owner had not knowingly permitted to operate the vehicle.

    (3) The registered owner of a vehicle who is found to be responsible for a civil infraction as the result of subsection (1) or a leased vehicle owner as that term is defined in section 675b that is found to be responsible for a civil infraction described in section 675b has the right to recover damages in a civil action against the person who parked or stopped the vehicle, or who left the vehicle standing, including, but not limited to, the amount of any civil fine or costs, or both, imposed under section 907. The registered owner of a vehicle or the leased vehicle owner may provide in a written agreement that the person who parked or stopped the vehicle, or who left the vehicle standing, in violation of a state statute or local ordinance, when the violation is a civil infraction, shall indemnify the registered owner or the leased vehicle owner for the damages incurred, including, but not limited to, any civil fine and costs imposed on the registered owner for that civil infraction. This subsection does not apply to a leased vehicle if the court or parking violations bureau issuing the violation finds that the lessee or renter of the vehicle is not responsible for the violation and it is determined that the lessee or renter did not violate the terms of the rental contract or lease agreement.

    (4) A police officer who issues a citation for a vehicle that is stopped, standing, or parked in violation of a state statute or a local ordinance that prohibits or restricts the stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle may issue the citation for the violation to the operator of the vehicle if the operator is present at the time of the violation.