RIO ARRIBA COUNTY, N.M. – A commissioner is facing charges after police say he left the scene of a crash.

Brandon Bustos serves as the District 1 county commissioner and is a member of Española’s Public Schools Board. 

Police say, back in October, they got a notification from an iPhone about a crash on Forest Road near the Borrego Mesa Campground. 

When officers went to the crash site, they found Bustos’ truck wrecked, and said there were beer cans in the vehicle. Bustos was nowhere to be found. 

The day after, Bustos reportedly contacted the sheriff’s office and told them his truck had been stolen. After he was questioned, deputies say he admitted to crashing his truck and leaving.

He’s being charged with not reporting the accident, and leaving the scene. 

He’ll be in court in March 2025.