Model busted at Burning Man for drugs, motor-home crash

RENO, Nev. — A Hong Kong fashion model was busted on felony drug charges at the Burning Man counterculture festival in Nevada and crashed her rented motor home into Reno's landmark arch the next day, authorities said Wednesday.

Rosemary Vandenbroucke, 28, was arrested about 9:30 a.m. Sunday with a small amount of ecstasy after an officer questioned her about a substance she was seen passing to another person at the Labor Day weekend festival in the Black Rock desert, Pershing County Sheriff Ron Skinner said.

Vandenbroucke was charged with possession of a controlled substance and released on $15,000 bail pending an Oct. 19 court appearance. A conviction could result in up to four years' probation.

Arrest records show Vandenbroucke produced a French passport and provided a Hong Kong address. It was not immediately clear Wednesday if she was still in the United States. Arrest records in Lovelock and Reno do not say whether she was represented by an attorney.

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Skinner said the arrest was one of about 30 made during the annual event that officials say drew more than 50,000 people to the desert about 110 miles north of Reno. About 30 other people were issued summonses for lesser offenses, the sheriff said.

Vandenbroucke also faces three misdemeanor charges stemming from the crash of a 40-foot rented motor home into downtown Reno's "Biggest Little City in the World" arch about 3 p.m. Monday, city police Sgt. Jim Stegmaier said.

The Reno Gazette-Journal first reported the crash and arrest.

"She ended up hitting a fire hydrant, shearing it off, and hitting the base of the Reno sign," Stegmaier told The Associated Press. "It caused substantial damage to the motor home."

© Bobby Yip / Reuters  /  Reuters file

Model Rosemary Vandenbroucke on the runway at Hong Kong Fashion Week on Jan. 18, 2010.

Stegmaier said no one was injured, and water didn't spout from the broken fireplug.

Witnesses told police a passenger removed the broken hydrant from beneath the truck and climbed back into the vehicle as the female driver drove away.

Police stopped the motor home a short distance away and arrested Vandenbroucke.

"She didn't deny the accident, but said she thought she would report it later because she was in a hurry to get the motor home back on time," Stegmaier said.

Vandenbroucke was arrested on misdemeanor vehicular hit-and-run, failure to maintain insurance and improper right turn charges, Stegmaier said.

She was photographed and fingerprinted at the Washoe County jail in Reno and released on $1,280 bail, Washoe County sheriff's Deputy Armando Avina said. She is due in Reno Municipal Court by Sept. 29.