(1) No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down, or remove any traffic control device, any railroad sign or signal, or any part of such a device, sign, or signal.

(2) Any person who moves, alters, damages, or destroys warning devices placed upon roads which the Department of Transportation or any local authority or its representative has closed in whole or in part for the protection of the public or for the protection of the highway from damage during construction, improvement, or maintenance operation and thereby causes injury or death to any person or damage to any property, equipment, or material thereon shall be liable, subject to sections 25-21,185 and 25-21,185.07 to 25-21,185.12, for the full or allocated amount of such death, injury, or damage, and such amount may be recovered by the injured or damaged party or his or her legal representative in a civil action brought in any court of competent jurisdiction.