Getting into a traffic accident with firearms in the car?

[coldsolderjoint 84]

So.. in the light of the "OMFG, the cops are going to search my car for Hollowpoints!" threads.. here's another question.

 

Hypothetically- So I'm a law abiding gun owner and I'm on my way to or from the range and I get into a traffic accident which renders my vehicle inoperable and/or I need to take an ambulance ride to the hospital.

 

The police would take custody of my guns and ammo for safe keeping as I was unable to secure them right?

 

How do I go about getting them back? Would they be kept at the local police department?

[Malsua 1,422]

Good question. One would assume the cops would "seize" custody.

 

At one point last year there were at least 10 guns in my car...I was thinking...boy...imagine if we flipped and guns just started flying all over the place as the trunk lid sprung. It probably would have even woke pinky up.

[Matt 0]

So.. in the light of the "OMFG, the cops are going to search my car for Hollowpoints!" threads.. here's another question.

 

Hypothetically- So I'm a law abiding gun owner and I'm on my way to or from the range and I get into a traffic accident which renders my vehicle inoperable and/or I need to take an ambulance ride to the hospital.

 

The police would take custody of my guns and ammo for safe keeping as I was unable to secure them right?

 

How do I go about getting them back? Would they be kept at the local police department?

 

I was actually just wondering about this the other day, don't know the answer though

[tj462nj 32]

I had to recover some guns from the prosecutors office for a person who was taken from his home & put into a nursing home. They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

[GoNRA 12]

I would call a friend, and put them in their car.

[tony357 386]

yah, i would call my brother to pick them up..

[PeteF 1,044]

I would call a friend, and put them in their car

 

yah, i would call my brother to pick them up..

 

Illegal Transfer??

[NJgunowner86 0]

I would call a friend, and put them in their car

 

yah, i would call my brother to pick them up..

 

Illegal Transfer??

 

YES

 

This is New Jersey guys. If you call your brother over, he damn sure better have an FID and you must, by law, fill out two copies of an NJ COE and both sign for each gun. This isn't one of the other 40something states where your brother/friend can just hold onto your guns for you for a couple days or whatever.

 

Now, who the fuck is gonna sit there and sign NJ COEs while their leg is broken and their head's bleeding? No idea.

 

But please, don't give "legal advice" like that guys.

[coldsolderjoint 84]

I would call a friend, and put them in their car

 

yah, i would call my brother to pick them up..

 

Illegal Transfer??

 

YES

 

This is New Jersey guys. If you call your brother over, he damn sure better have an FID and you must, by law, fill out two copies of an NJ COE and both sign for each gun. This isn't one of the other 40something states where your brother/friend can just hold onto your guns for you for a couple days or whatever.

 

Now, who the fugg is gonna sit there and sign NJ COEs while their leg is broken and their head's bleeding? No idea.

 

But please, don't give "legal advice" like that guys.

 

That's what I'm saying. I've been on the other side of this as an EMT, and if the situation is bad enough to warrant a threat to life or limb, we are bringing the patient to the hospital, its not my job at that point to worry about the guns as long as the Police on scene know about it.

 

I was hoping one of our LEO friends could chime in on this, but I guess its largely situational.

 

If I recall correctly, I've had 3 experiences with this, but they were all official law enforcement capacity:

 

1. County sheriffs who would accompany a patient/prisoner in the ambulance, and they would give their belt/gun to their partner who was following right behind in a cruiser.

2. State forest ranger who was bitten by a dog. He gave his belt/gun to his supervisor to hold on to (despite wanting to bring it to the hospital).

3. FBI Agent in an unmarked SUV, traffic accident, had his riot gear in the back of the truck. Asked the local Police Sargent to hold onto it. (not sure if he was ccw'ing or not. Don't remember the exact details as I was there in a medical capacity and it was a long time ago).

 

My original question was regarding citizens. Obviously.. 1. You can't just transfer them to your brother. 2. The police would take them for safekeeping. 3. Where do they go and how do you get them back?

[GoNRA 12]

 

YES

 

This is New Jersey guys. If you call your brother over, he damn sure better have an FID and you must, by law, fill out two copies of an NJ COE and both sign for each gun. This isn't one of the other 40something states where your brother/friend can just hold onto your guns for you for a couple days or whatever.

 

Now, who the fugg is gonna sit there and sign NJ COEs while their leg is broken and their head's bleeding? No idea.

 

But please, don't give "legal advice" like that guys.

 

Sorry, that was not intended to be legal advice, it's just what I would try to do, and hopefully my friend gets there before the cops do. Just tell your friend your gonna die if the cops get here first.

 

but yes, if the cops were on the scene of course they would have to do there job and cease the weapon. However I dont see them searching trunks normally during an accident. I see them look inside the car though, so you might be ok unless the guy who towed your car steals it out of your trunk.

[BCeagle 12]

I would assume local PDs dont have the space to store FA or want the responsibility.

[coldsolderjoint 84]

 

YES

 

This is New Jersey guys. If you call your brother over, he damn sure better have an FID and you must, by law, fill out two copies of an NJ COE and both sign for each gun. This isn't one of the other 40something states where your brother/friend can just hold onto your guns for you for a couple days or whatever.

 

Now, who the fugg is gonna sit there and sign NJ COEs while their leg is broken and their head's bleeding? No idea.

 

But please, don't give "legal advice" like that guys.

 

Sorry, that was not intended to be legal advice, it's just what I would try to do, and hopefully my friend gets there before the cops do. Just tell your friend your gonna die if the cops get here first.

 

but yes, if the cops were on the scene of course they would have to do there job and cease the weapon. However I dont see them searching trunks normally during an accident. I see them look inside the car though, so you might be ok unless the guy who towed your car steals it out of your trunk.

 

I might feel better NOT taking my chances and telling the cops about it. Don't want some tow truck driver hawking my guns on the black market.. then I'm responsible when they are used in a crime.

[coldsolderjoint 84]

I would assume local PDs dont have the space to store FA or want the responsibility.

 

So do they automatically go to the prosecutor?

[BCeagle 12]

They probably hold them short term then send them there. There was a discussion during one of the TRO threads and one of the POs on the board said they lack the room in the safe to hold them.

 

I faintly remembered a storage area at the prosecutor's office that had weapons but they all looked really old but that was awhile ago. I assumed at the time they were all evidence.

[NJgunowner86 0]

@coldsolderjoint: Agreed.

 

The only story I have ever heard of guns being stored by PD and given back in NJ was by an individual in NJ that posted his experiences on a different forum I frequent. The man was a young adult who had a small collection of guns in his house.

 

There was a domestic dispute not involving him (his mother and father) and when one of the parents called the cops on the other one, the police confiscated the young man's guns. He had currently been storing them in a safe that no one besides him had access to, but it did not matter and they took his guns away.

 

I forget if he said it was the local or county police that held onto his guns. When he did get his guns back several months later (believe he moved out or something, luck to get them back that "fast" in NJ too) they were essentially trashed. It looked as if they simply threw the guns in an outdoor shed at the station, or a dank basement, or something. He reported them being covered in rust and somehow grime from months of awful storage. He tried complaining about damages but they basically told him to get lost.

[Don't Tread On Me 4]

After reading the various replies I have come to the following conclusion:

Drive really fricken careful when transporting guns

The End

 

:clap: :clap:

[GRIZ 3,369]

They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

 

All guns that come into police custody for whatever reason get turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for dispostion.

[Blackfox 1]

They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

 

All guns that come into police custody for whatever reason get turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for dispostion.

 

If your firearms are taken by the police they stay in storage until you get then back, It happened to me, it took me two years to get then back, court dates and $$$ $$$

[tommy3rd 132]

After reading the various replies I have come to the following conclusion:

Drive really fricken careful when transporting guns

The End

 

:clap: :clap:

There's a slight problem with that line of thinking. You're not taking into account the idiot who will hit you no matter how careful you are...

[GoNRA 12]

After reading the various replies I have come to the following conclusion:

Drive really fricken careful when transporting guns

The End

 

:clap: :clap:

There's a slight problem with that line of thinking. You're not taking into account the idiot who will hit you no matter how careful you are...

 

that's why these tiny energy efficient cars are crap.

[Don't Tread On Me 4]

After reading the various replies I have come to the following conclusion:

Drive really fricken careful when transporting guns

The End

 

:clap: :clap:

There's a slight problem with that line of thinking. You're not taking into account the idiot who will hit you no matter how careful you are...

 

that's why these tiny energy efficient cars are crap.

 

[KpdPipes 388]

They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

 

All guns that come into police custody for whatever reason get turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for dispostion.

 

Sorry, but BULLPUCKEY...maybe YOUR Local department does that, but mine does not, nor do MOST departments im aware of. The ONLY firearms that automatically go to the Prosecutor;s office are ones used in SHootings, or those siezed because of Domestics.

[BCeagle 12]

Wouldnt they be responsible for any damages, I would think they have a fiduciary duty and I heard stories of people in Katrina receiving damaged weapons back and being compensated. I would guess you should put the condition of the firearm on the receipt.

 

Also, it shouldnt take that long or cost that much after things have been cleared up. You may as well just buy new firearms if its takes so long. I would think that could be raised as a constitutional argument. To me anything over 30days after things have been cleared up in BS.

[PK90 3,570]

They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

 

All guns that come into police custody for whatever reason get turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for dispostion.

 

Sorry, but BULLPUCKEY...maybe YOUR Local department does that, but mine does not, nor do MOST departments im aware of. The ONLY firearms that automatically go to the Prosecutor;s office are ones used in SHootings, or those siezed because of Domestics.

I'll do you one better. The Camden County PO stopped taking all firearms. The PDs have to store them as a "Satellite Location" per some ass judge.

[KpdPipes 388]

They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

 

All guns that come into police custody for whatever reason get turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for dispostion.

 

Sorry, but BULLPUCKEY...maybe YOUR Local department does that, but mine does not, nor do MOST departments im aware of. The ONLY firearms that automatically go to the Prosecutor;s office are ones used in SHootings, or those siezed because of Domestics.

I'll do you one better. The Camden County PO stopped taking all firearms. The PDs have to store them as a "Satellite Location" per some a** judge.

 

That doesnt surprise me, although, isnt CCPO working out of ahem "Temporary buildings" still (ie. Trailers)???? I seem to remember hearing a reference to that somewhere.

[GRIZ 3,369]

GRIZ wrote:

They were taken by the township police & turned over to the county. Not sure if local police are capabale/willing to hold onto firearms for any period of time.

 

All guns that come into police custody for whatever reason get turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for dispostion.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but BULLPUCKEY...maybe YOUR Local department does that, but mine does not, nor do MOST departments im aware of. The ONLY firearms that automatically go to the Prosecutor;s office are ones used in SHootings, or those siezed because of Domestics.

 

 

Apparently it is not bullpuckey in Ocean County. The post I quoted was from Bayville and the incidents I'm aware of were in Ocean County. This may be a county by county thing as someone mentioned Camden Co stopped taking firearms.

 

When I was a municipal police officer (left 1978 to go to a federal job) we kept all guns in our evidence room. I had an incident where a girl took her father's car after he had come back from hunting in PA and he had left his rifle in the trunk. He went to take a nap and she took the car without knowing the rifle was still in the trunk and got in an accident. The rifle was found in the trunk along with other hunting stuff when we were inventorying the car to be towed. I took her and the rifle home and lectured her father about leaving the gun in the car and left it at that.

 

But that was me and in the 70s.

[NJgunowner86 0]

 

But that was me and in the 70s.

 

Yeah, something tells me things have changed in the last 30 years

[GoNRA 12]

 

But that was me and in the 70s.

 

Yeah, something tells me things have changed in the last 30 years

 

[djg0770 481]

 

But that was me and in the 70s.

 

Yeah, something tells me things have changed in the last 30 years

 

40 years...