Lieutenant Dan arrested for not moving “public health hazard” boat despite police orders

Viral TikToker Lieutenant Dan has been arrested for failing to move his boat after Tampa Police ordered him to relocate the vessel.

Just before Hurricane Milton made landfall on October 9, a man who goes by the nickname Lieutenant Dan went viral across TikTok and other social media sites.

He shared plans to stay in his 20-foot sailboat on the water throughout the storm, shocking many viewers in the process.

With his newfound virality, Kick star Adin Ross reached out to Dan and his friend ‘Tampa Terrance’ to bring the duo on his stream. During the broadcast, Ross offered Dan a new boat up to $100k in value and a contract to stream on Kick.

TikTok:realityreelclips

On Monday, October 14, Adin rescinded Dan’s Kick contract and the viral TikTok star says he denied the offer to get a new boat. In a video posted to his account just three days later, Dan revealed he had put his existing boat up for auction after the Tampa police told him he had to leave the area.

“I got woken up by the Tampa police about being in the park and not being registered. I’m not getting that GoFundMe money. I’m putting up this boat, my boat that’s been through two major hurricanes, I’m putting this up for auction,” he said.

“I’m going to run the auction for a week. Send me a message [with your offer]. Highest bidder will get the boat, that way I can walk away with cash in my pocket and get out of Tampa. I don’t need the aggravation. I can’t be in the park. I’m trespassed from every public park in Tampa.”

Lieutenant Dan arrested for failure to move his boat

On Friday, October 18, the viral sailor was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and placed in jail with several charges. HCSO’s arrest records show two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court – one for operating an unregistered vehicle and another for not having a driver’s license.

A third charge says “generic ordinance” but TMZ reports that it was due to trespassing in the Tampa Bay park after being told to leave.

Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office

Tampa officers told TMZ that Dan told them he did not have an accessible marine sanitation device and didn’t have a record of proper disposal of waste. The alleged conditions on Dan’s boat created a “public health hazard” and he was instructed to move the vessel out of Bayshore Linear Park.

Lieutenant Dan’s not the only TikToker who went viral during Hurricane Milton. Several Kick streamers went live during the storm for a chance to win $70k from Adin Ross, prompting the influencer to urge them to seek shelter.