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Tampa’s Lt. Dan remains on boat despite mayor saying he was in a shelter ahead of Hurricane Milton

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Updated  October 9, 2024 4:35pm EDT
Hurricane Milton
FOX 13 News

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    TAMPA, Fla. - A man who gained notoriety for riding out Hurricane Helene on a boat docked just off Bayshore Blvd. has yet to hunker down in a shelter ahead of Hurricane Milton. 

    During Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s final press conference ahead of the storm, she said that Tampa’s Lt. Dan was rescued on Wednesday morning and was in a shelter. 

    "If we can get Lt. Dan to go into a shelter, we can get anybody to do that," Castor said. 

    However, FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia spoke with Lt. Dan, who was on his boat,  docked off Bayshore Blvd. shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. 

    According to Plasencia, he said he was on the phone with people talking about his cryptocurrency, and, because of the direction of the wind, he is planning to slightly adjust the angle of his boat. She added that while it was tough to communicate due to the loud wind, Lt. Dan said nothing about leaving as he poked his head out of the boat. 

    TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed

    TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed "Lieutenant Dan," to leave for his safety as Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 09, 2024 in Tam

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    Lt. Dan got his ten minutes of fame thanks to a Temple Terrace TikTok user who featured him in a series of videos before, during and after Hurricane Helene. 

    The TikTok videos have millions of views. 

    READ: Hurricane Milton tracker: Storm weakens to Cat. 4, Florida landfall as 'dangerous' storm expected

    Before Hurricane Helene skirted the west coast of Florida, Lt. Dan was caught on camera telling Hurricane Helene ‘You want me? Come and get me,' before the storm impacts were felt in the Bay Area. 

    As the weather in Tampa deteriorated, Lt. Dan could be seen on his boat as the water began to rise and rain began to fall. 

    When Hurricane Milton formed and trekked toward Florida, videos of Lt. Dan began popping up again. 

    Earlier this week, Lt. Dan said that God told him to go out there and get on a boat. He said he was going to ride out Hurricane Milton and was not going to wear a life jacket. 

    READ: Video: Dog tied to pole on Tampa interstate rescued as Hurricane Milton draws near

    In a TikTok video, he joked that he had room onboard for a lady. 

    Tampa’s chief of police visited Lt. Dan earlier this week and told him about the evacuation orders and the shelters the city opened. 

    Hurricane Milton is a powerful hurricane that is expected to make landfall Wednesday night or early Thursday morning along Florida’s west coast. 

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