A person who is a registered owner of a vehicle at the time that vehicle is involved in a violation of section 423-A commits a civil violation subject to the provisions of section 349, subsection 2, except as provided in subsection 4. For purposes of this section, "registered owner" includes a person issued a dealer or transporter registration plate. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] 1. Report violation; investigation. A person who observes a violation of section 423-A may report the violation to a police officer. If a report is made, the person shall report the time and the location of the violation and the registration plate number and a description of the vehicle involved. The officer shall initiate an investigation of the reported violation and, if possible, contact the registered owner of the motor vehicle involved and request that the registered owner supply information identifying the operator. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] 2. Summons. The investigating officer may cause the registered owner of the vehicle to be served with a summons for a violation of this section. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] 3. Registered owner not operator. Except as provided in subsection 4, it is not a defense to a violation of this section that a registered owner was not operating the vehicle at the time of the violation. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] 4. Defenses. The following are defenses to a violation of this section. A. If a person other than the owner is convicted of operating the vehicle at the time of the violation in violation of section 423-A, the registered owner may not be found in violation of this section. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] B. If the registered owner is a lessor of vehicles and at the time of the violation the vehicle was in the possession of a lessee and the lessor provides the investigating officer with a copy of the lease agreement containing the information required by Title 29-A, section 254, the lessee and not the lessor may be charged under this section. [PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §149 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §153 (AFF); PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. C, §15 (AFF).] C. If the vehicle is operated using a dealer or transporter registration plate and at the time of the violation the vehicle was operated by a person other than the dealer or transporter and if the dealer or transporter provides the investigating officer with the name and address of the person who had control over the vehicle at the time of the violation, that person and not the dealer or transporter may be charged under this section. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] D. If a report that the vehicle was stolen is given to a law enforcement officer or agency before the violation occurs or within a reasonable time after the violation occurs, the registered owner may not be charged under this section. [PL 1991, c. 867, §1 (NEW).] [PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §149 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. A, §153 (AFF); PL 1995, c. 65, Pt. C, §15 (AFF).]
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