Hayden Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was detained after an alleged altercation in a local Greenville, South Carolina bar.
Hickerson, 37, was briefly detained after allegedly throwing a barstool on Saturday, September 13, a spokesperson for the Greenville Police department confirmed to Us. Hickerson was released on the scene and not charged. The police, however, confirmed that Brian’s brother, Zach Hickerson, was arrested for alleged disorderly conduct. (TMZ was first to report the news.)
Additional information regarding the incident was not made available at the time of publication. Us reached out reps for Brian for comment.
Brian dated Panettiere on and off from 2018 to 2020, breaking up for good following a domestic violence incident in Wyoming. Brian was sentenced to one year in jail, which a judge ultimately suspended in exchange for one year of probation.
Panettiere was found dead in August at the age of 36, with a local police report revealing that Brian and his brother were both at the scene when Panettiere died.
“After EMS officially declared Hayden deceased, I escorted Zach and Brian out of the apartment,” a police report obtained by Us read. “I observed Zach to be very emotional while EMS were working on Hayden. Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”
A cause of death for Panettiere, who reportedly suffered an apparent overdose, has not yet been publicly revealed.
Brian broke his silence on the Heroes alum’s death several days later.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Hickerson’s attorney Sloan Ellis told Us in an August 20 statement. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”
In addition to Brian, Panettiere is survived by her parents and her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with ex Wladimir Klitschko.
“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” Klitschko, 50, wrote in a social media tribute, mourning Panettiere’s death. “The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
