A Florida amputee known as “Lieutenant Dan” was accused of refusing to leave his small boat in the face of Hurricane Milton after he refused to leave the park’s dock. An arrest has been made, Tampa police told Fox News. digital.
Police said Joseph Malinowski, 54, did not have accessible equipment to drain sewage from his unregistered vessel and had no record of properly disposing of waste, which is a public health concern. He said it was posing a danger.
Malinowski was arrested at Bayshore Linear Park and Dock around 7:30 a.m. Friday after failing to move despite “multiple warnings.” Officers said they met Malinowski the day before when he was instructed to leave the park.
Lt. Dan, who fought off Hurricane Milton on a boat during the Tampa outbreak, talks about how he survived
A Florida amputee known as “Lieutenant Dan” was accused of refusing to leave his small boat in the face of Hurricane Milton after he refused to leave the park’s dock. An arrest has been made, Tampa police told Fox News. digital. (Fox News Digital, Maine, Tampa Police Department, inset)
Mr Malinowski was taken into custody on Friday and transferred to Orient Road Jail. Unregistered vessels were seized.
He is charged with two outstanding warrants for failure to appear and one misdemeanor count of trespassing in a city park after a warning, police said.
According to WTSB, Malinowski’s occupation is listed as “TIK TOK STAR,” but the arrest investigation lists him as unemployed. A representative for Malinowski told TMZ that Malinowski’s team is working on redressing the virus outbreak.
Malinowski’s nickname “Lieutenant Dan” was apparently given to him because of his resemblance to the “Forrest Gump” character of the same name, played by actor Gary Sinise. Malinowski is missing part of his left leg and uses crutches to get around.
Earlier this month, a man made headlines for claiming he would ride out Hurricane Milton in a 6-foot boat as it barreled toward Tampa.
Despite pleas from local residents, law enforcement officials and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to leave and evacuate, Malinowski chose to remain in place with his boat tied up on Bayshore Boulevard near Tampa General Hospital. He rode the same boat through Hurricane Helen.
As Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, Tampa police try to convince “Lieutenant Dan” to get off his boat. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
But Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said they were taken to shelters before the storm hit. He is still on the ship, refusing to disembark, according to a TikTok live feed and news interviews.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Malinowski told Fox News Digital after the storm passed.
“I had no intention of leaving. The storm didn’t scare me because I couldn’t see it. I didn’t write it. I didn’t make it happen.”
“It’s a boat,” he said. “As long as you don’t let water get into the boat, you’ll be fine.”
Hurricane Helen: Grandmother’s Bible survives after storm destroys home: ‘It was the Lord’
Malinowski previously came to the attention of TikToker Adin Roth, who offered to buy “Lieutenant Dan” a $50,000 to $100,000 boat and make him full-time. launched a livestream TikTok deal to allow Malinowski to record his “voyages” and generate income for lonely sailors. social media.
But Ross withdrew his offer after discovering Malinowski’s long criminal history, according to the New York Post.
Police tried to get “Lieutenant Dunn” off the boat on October 9th ahead of Hurricane Milton. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
“He offered it to me. I never asked for it,” Malinowski told one TikToker who recorded the live performance. “If you’re worried about your image or who you’re working for, you have enough to offer before you offer me a $100,000 sign-on bonus, $50,000 a month on a $100,000 boat. You should have looked into me carefully.”
His other past charges include drug possession, attempted burglary and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the New York Post.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Despite the backlash, Malinowski said he plans to ride out all future Tampa hurricanes on his boat, but the New York Post reported on a cold case that called into question ownership of the boat.
Malinowski said he began communicating with God and meditating when Milton caused damage to Tampa Bay and caused “superficial damage” to his boat.
Malinowski told Fox News Digital that while he was meditating, he believed there was a ring around him that would protect him from hitting the waterway wall. When he could no longer concentrate on his meditation, he slammed into the dock again, causing further damage.
Boat “Lieutenant Dan” was staying in Helen during Hurricane Milton (Fox News Digital)
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
Send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow us on Twitter @M_Dorgan.