It doesn't matter why you pulled over on a public road in Maine or Maryland, or why you left your car to rot in a garage - police might take it for good.
Barn finds are some people's dreams, but claiming them in some states is just impossible, but not in Iowa or Kansas, where they can get them in a few months.
Some states are so afraid of scams and thefts that they make it hard even for law-abiding citizens to get the right papers for an abandoned car (such as the case for Illinois), but in Indiana things are way simpler.
Hawaii might not sink that soon due to tidal waves, but it might be clogged with unwanted vehicles, which authorities try to sell with little success, while in Idaho, a court order could make you the proud owner of the junk left to rot on your property.