UConn women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers narrowly avoided a potentially dangerous situation this week after a man with a disturbing history was arrested in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The man, who was apprehended while walking along the side of a highway, had an outstanding warrant in Oregon for first-degree arson. However, what has alarmed fans and authorities alike is his unsettling social media obsession with Bueckers.
On Tuesday, concern for Bueckers’ safety escalated when a fan noticed that the man had posted a series of alarming messages online.
In these posts, he claimed he was traveling to Connecticut with the intent to see Bueckers, even making chilling threats to “sacrifice” anyone who was near her when he arrived.
RELATED: Paige Bueckers Reveals Her Guilty Pleasure When She Returns Home
The disturbing nature of the posts didn’t stop there. The man, whose identity was later confirmed as Robert Parmalee from Ritzville, Washington, claimed to have purchased a wedding ring and created a wedding invitation for Bueckers. He also made various other troubling statements, including a vow to get her expelled from UConn.
In one particularly ominous post, Parmalee shared a photo of himself holding a ticket, captioning it with, “I’m coming to UCONN Paige Madison Bueckers, I’ll be in Hartford tomorrow morning.” He also posed with a large cardboard cutout of Bueckers and wrote, “I can’t wait to get you in my bedroom princess,” further escalating the level of concern among her fans and the public.
Internet sleuths quickly discovered that these threatening messages had been part of a months-long campaign of harassment targeting the young basketball star. Despite the gravity of his statements, it wasn’t the threats that led to Parmalee’s arrest.
On Tuesday, Connecticut State Police (CSP) intercepted Parmalee before he could reach Bueckers. According to a CSP press release, a trooper spotted Parmalee walking along the shoulder of Route 20 eastbound, a restricted access highway in Windsor Locks. Concerned for his safety, the trooper approached Parmalee and, during the interaction, discovered his active arrest warrant from Oregon.
The warrant, issued by the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office in Grants Pass, Oregon, was related to a felony charge of first-degree arson, and it included approval for nationwide extradition. Upon confirming his identity, authorities arrested Parmalee and transported him to Troop H in Hartford, where he was processed and charged.
Although Parmalee’s arrest was due to his arson warrant, the situation has highlighted serious concerns about the safety of public figures like Bueckers, particularly in the age of social media where threats can quickly escalate from online to real life.
Fortunately, Parmalee was apprehended before any harm could be done, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by athletes and celebrities.
