Viral Florida man known as “Lieutenant Dan” arrested for trespassing in Tampa Bay

Joseph Malinowski, the The 54-year-old Florida man who made headlines in the run-up to Hurricane Milton by claiming he would ride out the massive storm on a boat docked in Tampa Bay despite evacuation orders was arrested Friday, adding to his already extensive criminal record expanded.

Malinowski was charged with “two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court and one count of trespassing in a city park after warning,” 10 Tampa Bay reporter Aaron Parseghian wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Friday afternoon. According to Parseghian, Tampa Bay police also said that Malinowski “had no marine sanitation device on board his unregistered boat and had no record of proper waste disposal.” One day after the relocation order, he failed to leave the dock and was taken into custody.

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New details regarding his arrest:

Malinowski charged with two outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court, and one charge of trespassing in a city park after warning.

Tampa Police say yesterday they met with Lt. Dan and found he did not have a marine sanitation device…

— Aaron Parseghian WTSP (@AaronParseghian) October 18, 2024

Malinowski's refusal to leave the dock made him famous when two major hurricanes hit Florida in late September and early October. Before Helene, Malinowski gained attention through video interviews with Tampa TikTok creator Terrence Concannon, in which he prepared to ride out the storm on his small sailboat. Then, as Milton headed straight for town, Malinowski went viral in videos telling locals, newscasters and law enforcement that he wasn't going anywhere and would turn down any offer of accommodation. Predictions of a deadly storm surge had prompted mandatory evacuations in the region, with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor warning: “If you choose to stay in any of these evacuation areas, you will die.”

Malinowski's defiance vilified him as a madman by some observers, while others celebrated him as an underdog hero and survivor whom they affectionately nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” after the double-amputee character in Forrest Gump. (Malinowski's left leg was amputated after a car accident when he was 16, and he uses crutches; Concannon popularized the nickname.) The outpouring of support culminated in a GoFundMe campaign organized by Concannon, ostensibly aimed at getting Malinowski a new boat to finance his “seafaring dreams”. The fundraiser ended with nearly $45,000 donated.

Ultimately, Malinowski decided not to brave the fierce winds and rains of another tropical cyclone. After posting updates from his boat on his own TikTok account, he gave in and had police take him to a shelter. Mayor Castor said Oct. 9 that authorities saved his life, adding, “If we can get Lt. Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anyone to do that.”

While Malinowski and his boat independently survived Milton's aftermath, his lengthy criminal record came up for discussion. In 2023, he was charged by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon: According to their report, he argued with a woman sitting on a bench, then set it on fire with gasoline and spilled some of it on her. Other past charges included attempted burglary, assault on a law enforcement officer and drug possession, as well as “failure to transfer ownership of a vessel within 30 days.” It is unclear whether he is the legal owner of his now famous boat.

Malinowski had briefly promoted a new social media account on the streaming website Kick, with streamer Adin Ross allegedly luring him into joining the site with the promise of a $100,000 deal. But Malinowski left out the N-word during his first stream and Ross instead said he would offer the kick deal to Concannon, who he said would be livestreamed around the city of Tampa. Malinowski used the insult when he filmed several rants in which he claimed that Concannon had withheld money raised on his behalf through the GoFundMe campaign. The feud seems to have ended any collaboration between the two.

All in all, it's been an eventful month for Malinowski – and the recent setbacks are unlikely to damage his internet fame. Whatever he plans to do after his last stint in prison, we're sure to hear about it from him himself.

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