Joseph Malinowski, the 54-year-old Florida man who gained viral fame ahead of Hurricane Milton by declaring he would ride out the storm on a boat in Tampa Bay despite mandatory evacuation orders, was arrested on Friday, adding to his growing list of legal troubles.
Malinowski was charged with "two outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court" and one count of "trespassing in a city park after warning," according to a report by 10 Tampa Bay’s Aaron Parseghian. Tampa Police also noted that Malinowski’s unregistered boat lacked a marine sanitation device, and he had failed to provide proper waste disposal records. After being ordered to relocate his boat and refusing to comply, he was taken into custody.
Malinowski first made headlines by refusing to evacuate as Hurricane Helene and then Hurricane Milton approached Florida. His defiance gained widespread attention after he appeared in viral TikTok interviews with Tampa creator Terrence Concannon, where he vowed to stay aboard his small sailboat despite warnings of deadly storm surges. His refusal to leave led some to call him reckless, while others celebrated him as a resilient underdog, dubbing him “Lieutenant Dan” after the character in *Forrest Gump*. (Malinowski lost his left leg in a car accident as a teenager and uses crutches, a fact that helped cement the nickname.)
Concannon’s videos, along with the growing admiration from supporters, spurred a GoFundMe campaign that raised nearly $45,000 to help Malinowski buy a new boat and pursue his “seafaring dreams.”
Despite his bold statements, Malinowski ultimately left the boat before Hurricane Milton hit. After posting videos on his own TikTok, he eventually agreed to be taken to a shelter by the police. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor praised the decision, stating, "If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anybody to do that."
However, Malinowski’s recent legal troubles have resurfaced. His criminal history includes charges of aggravated battery, breaking and entering, assaulting a police officer, and drug possession. A particularly disturbing 2023 charge involved setting fire to a park bench during an argument, splashing gasoline on a woman in the process.
Malinowski had also briefly ventured into streaming, with Kick streamer Adin Ross offering him a deal. However, after Malinowski used a racial slur during his first stream, Ross reportedly redirected the offer to Concannon instead. The incident sparked a feud between Malinowski and Concannon, with the former accusing Concannon of withholding the GoFundMe funds, straining their once-viral partnership.
Despite his legal woes and public controversies, Malinowski’s internet fame shows no signs of waning, and it’s likely his next chapter will continue to make waves online.
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