Just weeks after Hayden Panettiere's sudden death, her troubled ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson has been caught in another disturbing scene-this time outside a South Carolina bar.
Police reportedly handcuffed Hickerson following an alleged altercation at the Wild Wing Cafe in Greenville on Friday night. His brother, Zach Hickerson, was also detained and ultimately arrested for disorderly conduct. Brian, however, was released at the scene without being charged.
According to the Greenville Police Department's account reported by Page Six, officers responded at approximately 9:10 p.m. after receiving a report of an assault. They arrived to find Brian, Zach and several other patrons involved in a confrontation outside the restaurant.
Video from the chaotic scene reportedly shows Brian being held against a police vehicle while shouting about Panettiere's death. At one point, he accused the Greenville Police Department of leaking information surrounding the tragedy, yelling, "GPD leaked it when my girlfriend died."
Witnesses alleged that the brothers had been drinking for several hours before trouble erupted. Brian was reportedly removed from the bar after allegedly throwing a stool, although police did not arrest or charge him. Zach was accused of behaving aggressively, using profanity and refusing officers' instructions before being taken into custody.
The timing makes the episode especially unsettling. Panettiere was found unresponsive in a Greenville apartment on August 16, just five days before her 37th birthday. Brian and Zach were reportedly present when the Nashville and Heroes actress suffered cardiac arrest. Zach previously told police that they attempted to revive her with Narcan and CPR before emergency responders arrived.
Panettiere's official cause of death has not been released, with toxicology results still pending. Authorities have said there were no apparent signs of trauma or foul play. The Drug Enforcement Administration is reportedly assisting with inquiries into whether drugs may have contributed to her death, but Brian has not been named as a suspect.
The scrutiny surrounding him is nevertheless intense because of the couple's painful history. Brian and Panettiere had an on-again, off-again relationship beginning in 2018 that was marred by allegations of physical and emotional abuse. In 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony charges of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and served time in jail. Panettiere later spoke publicly about surviving an abusive relationship.
Reports indicate that the two had reconnected before her death, although their precise relationship status remained unclear. Brian's attorney previously asked the public to avoid speculation while the investigation continued and emphasized that police had found no evidence of foul play.
Now, footage of Brian in handcuffs and angrily invoking Panettiere's death has placed him back under an unforgiving spotlight. For those still mourning the actress, the bar confrontation adds another troubling chapter to an already heartbreaking story.
Panettiere leaves behind her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.
