An appointed tow truck operator, at the direction of the sheriff of Snohomish county, shall take custody of an abandoned vehicle or abandoned automobile hulk, remove the same to the established place of business of the tow truck operator where the vehicle or hulk shall be stored; such tow truck operator shall have a lien upon the vehicle or hulk for services provided in the towing and storage of the same, and shall also have a claim against the last registered owner of the vehicle or hulk provided in the towing and storage of the same, not to exceed the sum of $100.00.

Within five days after receiving custody of such abandoned vehicle or abandoned automobile hulk, the tow truck operator shall give notice of his custody to the department of motor vehicles and to the chief of the Washington state patrol and within five days after having received the name and address of the owner, he shall notify the registered and legal owner of the same with copies of such notice being sent to the chief of the Washington state patrol and to the department of motor vehicles. The notice to the registered and legal owner shall be sent by the tow truck operator to the last known address of the owner appearing on the records of the department of motor vehicles, and such notice shall be sent to the registered and legal owner by certified or registered mail with a five-day return receipt requested. Such notice shall contain a description of the vehicle or hulk including its license number or motor number if available, or both license number and motor number if both be available, and shall state the amount due the tow truck operator for services in the towing and storage of the same and the time and place of public sale if the amount remains unpaid. (Added by § 12 of Res. adopted June 15, 1970).