Maybe it would have gone better if he wasn’t loaded. A Fresno, California man was first rescued from a rock, then busted on a trespassing misdemeanor, and then arrested on substance charges, according to a report on the Morro Bay, California website. Apparently, Michael Banks climbed protected Morro Rock to propose marriage to his beloved via Facetime. There is no mention of whom he was proposing nor whether or not his proposal was accepted.
After being rescued by a California Highway Patrol helicopter, for which he will be billed, Banks stayed on in the area. He was charged with a misdemeanor for climbing the rock, which is a peregrine falcon habitat and sacred site for the Northern Chumash and Salinan Indian tribes. It would have been making the best of an already not-so-great day if he’d gone home then.
At some point later that day, the Morro Bay Harbor Department contacted the city Police Department and reported that a man was acting as if he’s intoxicated. He was later arrested on two counts of being under the influence of and in possession of a controlled substance. There is no report on whether the arrest or Banks’ transport to the San Luis Obispo County Jail were captured on Facetime.
The report includes a stern warning that climbing the Morro Rock is illegal, dangerous, puts the lives of first responders at risk unnecessarily, and costs taxpayer dollars. Perhaps remaining cognizant of the attention brought by Banks’ proposal and subsequent arrest, the city report ends with a pitch for Morro Bay as a great place for a wedding, with views of the rock, surfers, and plentiful birds in the area. No mention is made about Facetime or other filming proposals or weddings.
