Man Who Went Viral as 'Lieutenant Dan' amid Hurricane Milton Arrested on Allegations of Trespassing in Tampa Park: Police

Mar. 15, 2025

Joseph Malinowski.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

According to the county inmate records, Malinowski remains in jail as of Friday afternoon without the possibility of posting a bond. Hillsborough County records describe Malinowski as a “transient” individual whose occupation is listed as “TikTok Star.”

A spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department tells PEOPLE officers “met with Malinowski at Bayshore Linear Park and Dock” on Thursday over concerns he was trespassing in the park.

“Malinowski informed officers that he did not have an accessible marine sanitation device aboard his unregistered vessel and did not have a record of proper disposal of waste, creating a public health hazard,” Verliz Williams, a public information officer with the Tampa Police Department, says. “He was instructed to leave the park; however, he was found to be still there this morning, even after numerous warnings.”

Williams added that officers impounded Malinowski’s boat and he was taken to Orient Road Jail in Tampa, Fla.

Joseph Malinowski.Spencer Platt/Getty

Spencer Platt/Getty

Malinowski went viral last week after several news outlets reported on his refusal to leave his sail boat as Hurricane Milton was set to make landfall.

“My life, this is nothing compared to what I’ve been through,” Malinowski toldThe National Desk. “This doesn’t scare me. It’s not even a minor inconvenience.”

The outlet reported that local police had threatened at one point to arrest Malinowski in order to move him out of the storm’s path for his own safety.

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The attention surrounding Malinowski’s internet fame also drew eyes to his past criminal history, PEOPLE previously reported.

source: people.com