Now he's in a lot of trouble.
A one-legged yacht resident from Florida known as “Lieutenant Dan,” who made headlines for refusing to abandon his yacht during Hurricane Milton, was arrested Friday because the boat was unregistered, Tampa police said. was put in prison.
Joseph Malinowski, 54, of Tampa Bay, was hauled in by police because he didn't have a device to drain sewage from his 20-foot yacht, creating a public health hazard. police told WTSP.com..
Police said the sailor, Calawag, whom fans dubbed a “cult hero” last week, refused to leave the park-side dock after receiving “multiple warnings.”
He also has two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court and trespassing in a city park, police added.
Malinowski became an overnight sensation last week after a TikTok video was released in which he claimed to ride out a raging Category 5 storm on a floating house.
His ship and one leg earned him the nickname “Lieutenant Dan.” It's named after the lovable but troubled Vietnam veteran played by Gary Sinise in the 1994 Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump, who survives a hurricane on a boat.
He was “rescued” during the storm and later taken to a shelter on Oct. 9, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said.
His yacht was later seized, police said.
In April 2022, Malinowski, who has a long rap sheet, was sentenced to a year in prison and released for punching a police officer in the nose, WUFT reported.
