Brian Hickerson, 37, the ex-boyfriend of the late actress Hayden Panettiere, was taken into custody after a disturbance at a Greenville, South Carolina bar on Saturday night. According to reports, Hickerson was drinking for several hours with his brother, Zach, at the Wild Wing Cafe before becoming involved in a physical altercation.
Witness accounts suggest Hickerson began yelling at some individuals before picking up a bar stool and throwing it backward. He was subsequently escorted out of the establishment by another patron. Outside the bar, Hickerson and his brother reportedly became involved in a brawl with others, leading to police intervention.
While handcuffed on the curb, Hickerson was recorded by TMZ speaking to officers. He allegedly questioned the police about "leaking details" concerning Panettiere's death. He was not arrested at that time and was released from the scene. However, his brother, Zach Hickerson, was arrested for disorderly conduct due to intoxication and public profanity.
Both Brian and Zach Hickerson were present at the residence where Panettiere was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the age of 36. The Greenville Police Department's incident report indicates Zach Hickerson told authorities that Brian was in a separate room when he discovered the actress. Zach also stated that Brian administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, and that they performed CPR while on the phone with 911 dispatchers.
Reports indicate that Brian Hickerson has since met with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of an ongoing investigation into Panettiere's suspected overdose death. Investigators are reportedly exploring the possibility that the actress received drugs that may have contributed to her passing, and the focus is on identifying the suspected supplier.
Panettiere's toxicology results and official cause of death have not yet been publicly released. She and Hickerson had a tumultuous on-and-off relationship that began in 2018. Hickerson faced multiple previous arrests and charges related to domestic violence involving Panettiere. In 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, which resulted in jail time, probation, domestic violence counseling, restitution, and a five-year protective order.
Zach Hickerson previously stated that "assumptions, speculations and accusations" were circulating and that the truth would emerge as authorities concluded their investigation. He emphasized the desire for those who loved Panettiere to mourn her loss without "additional noise, chaos, and misinformation."