Man arrested after rescue

A Tucumcari man rescued from a steep ledge on Tucumcari Mountain after becoming stranded there for hours recently had been denied access by one of the mesa’s owners earlier that day.

Daniel W. Pennison, 43, was booked into the Quay County Detention Center on March 14 on charges of criminal trespass and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. Both are misdemeanors.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Tucumcari magistrate court, the Quay County Sheriff’s Office was informed on March 14 about a man being stuck on Tucumcari Mountain and possibly being injured. He was found stranded a steep ledge near the large “T” on the mesa’s north face.

While Tucumcari firefighters and deputies began search-and-rescue efforts, deputies contacted one of the mesa’s owners, Jamie Vance, who said Pennison had asked for permission to be on the property that morning and was denied.

Tucumcari Fire and Rescue began an operation initially to use ropes to rappel personnel from the top of the mountain, then raise Pennison to safety.

Instead, Pennison was lowered to more level terrain from the ledge nearly four hours after he became stuck.

After his rescue, Pennison abruptly ran away. Deputies were informed Pennison had fled north on a bicycle.

Authorities apprehended Pennison a short time later.

Pennison was taken to Trigg Memorial Hospital for a medical examination. Healthcare personnel there cleared him, and he was booked into the county jail.

A pretrial hearing is set for April 14.