Tampa's viral 'Lieutenant Dan' lists 'TikTok Star' as his occupation as he's arrested by cops

Tampa's so-called 'Lieutenant Dan' has been arrested by the authorities following his brush with viral fame amid Hurricane Milton.

“Lieutenant Dan" has been arrested again. Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty

Joseph John Malinowski - aka Lieutenant Dan from Florida - garnered attention on social media for refusing to leave his boat in the midst of the destructive Hurricane Milton descending on the state last week.

Social media users gave Malinowski the nickname because he's got one leg, in homage to the popular Forrest Gump movie character. And ever since the social media star was featured on an episode of Terrence Concannon's Livestream, his popularity online has skyrocketed.

He has even been getting donations from fans via a GoFundMe account that was set up on his behalf.

Credit: GoFundMe

While this might seem like it's had a positive impact on Malinowski, his daughter recently took to TikTok to slam those who have been giving a platform to her father as the access to funds has seemingly made his current situation worse.

Ashley Ann Malinowski called for the stoppage of all funds going to her father emphasizing that the sailor is still battling a drug addiction.

"Lieutenant Dan was doing just fine without all that money," Ashley said in an intense message on the video-sharing platform earlier this month.

"Y’all TikTok f****** famous people, y’all blowing him up and he’s gonna be dead before he can f****** enjoy that boat," she continued in the clip. "Look at him, after y’all got a hold of him and now he’s high as f*** on all these videos."

The concerned daughter claimed she has struggled with her father’s substance abuse issues for the past decade.

“Is it just weed? Is it just weed? Yes, I’m his f****** daughter and I had to keep tabs on that man for 10 years trying to make sure that he is alive, and now he’s gonna get all of this and probably end up dead because of it.”

Ashley added that the after-effects of all of this will "put him in the grave early."

“Y’all are gonna f****** put him in the grave early, for making him famous and giving him this money,” she said, clearly becoming emotional over the thought.

“Nobody actually f****** cares about him either. Y’all are just using him to make him famous, make yourselves more famous, make yourselves look good, but nobody f****** cares," she added.

“Lieutenant Dan" initially made headlines for refusing to leave his boat during Hurricane Milton. Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty

Just a week later, and reports state that Malinowski has been arrested by local cops.

According to documents reviewed by PEOPLE, the 54-year-old was arrested by the Tampa Police Department on Friday and charged with two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court, and one misdemeanor charge of trespassing in a city park after warning.

It has been reported that the social media personality will remain in jail without the possibility of posting a bond.

The documents also stated that he listed himself as a "TikTok star".

A spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department told the outlet that 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, said. "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.

Featured Image Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty