Our Troopers have to deal with a lot of attempted traffic stops were the driver flees, drives through a ranch fence, and then bails and runs. Usually, there are several other individuals--illegal aliens--involved who also flee. Naturally, property owners are upset. It's so frequent that they are constantly having to repair damaged fence lines and other property. Last session the Legislature passed a new subchapter to Chapter 70, Property Code, that authorizes property owners to go to court and get a lien for the cost of repairs as well as the cost of towing if they have to have the vehicle towed. The lien is filed with tax assessor-collector and goes on the title. The property owner can only get the lien if the vehicle was operated by the owner or a person having the owner's consent. So it doesn't help property owners when the vehicle was stolen, which if often the case. How have your local agencies been dealing with this problem. We still get property owners who want to hang on to the vehicle until "paid for their damages" despite the fact that the new statute provisions do not give a possessory lien.

I'm curious.

Janette A