A HONG KONG fashion model was arrested on drug charges at the Burning Man counterculture festival in Nevada in the US and crashed her rented motor home into Reno's landmark arch the next day, authorities said.

Rosemary Vandenbroucke, 28, was arrested last week 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.

Vandenbroucke was charged with possession of a controlled substance and released on US$15,000 (S$20,100) 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.

Vandenbroucke also faces three misdemeanour charges stemming from the crash of the 12m rented motor home into downtown Reno's "Biggest Little City in the World" arch last week, Sgt Jim Stegmaier said.

Witnesses told police a passenger removed the broken hydrant from beneath the truck and climbed back into the vehicle as the lady driver drove away. Police stopped the motor home a short distance away and arrested Vandenbroucke.

Said Mr Stegmaier: "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."

This article was first published in The New Paper.