In Tampa, Florida, a man who gained social media fame for documenting his experience riding out two hurricanes in his boat on TikTok has been arrested. Joseph Malinowsky, 54, known as 'Lt. Dan' on social media, was taken into custody by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office on Friday.
Arrest records indicate that Malinowsky was charged with trespassing and failure to appear in court for previous offenses related to operating an unregistered vehicle and driving without a valid license.
Despite officials' warnings to seek shelter, Malinowsky chose to stay on his boat during Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. His nickname, 'Lt. Dan,' is a reference to a character from the movie 'Forrest Gump' who also rides out a storm in a boat.
As of Saturday, Malinowsky remains in jail, as confirmed by online jail records. No attorney has been listed in court records to represent him at this time.
