A Mesa woman has found herself in legal hot water after being linked to a multi-vehicle crash and drug-related offenses. Natalie Rustin, 34, was arrested and faces a range of charges, as confirmed by the Mesa Police Department. The list of charges, as Fox10 Phoenix reports, includes aggravated DUI, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia, among others.
Rustin was arrested following a three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Alma School and Baseline roads shortly after 9 a.m. on Sunday. After initially leaving the scene, she returned and admitted to driving, stating that her license was suspended. Preliminary police investigation and surveillance footage indicate that Rustin’s gray car was speeding when it rear-ended a stopped vehicle, causing a chain reaction that struck a third car and injured occupants, who were later hospitalized for back and neck pain, according to KTAR.
Further digging into the events surrounding the crash, Mesa police discovered Rustin's attempts to conceal a bag filled with over half a pound of illegal drugs and drug-related items behind a nearby business. "Evidence, witness accounts, and surveillance footage confirmed Rustin knowingly attempted to hide the drugs; the quantities and associated items were consistent with possession for sale," in a statement obtained by Fox10 Phoenix.
No additional details have been released by officials at this time, KTAR noted.
