Brian Hickerson completed domestic-violence program after 2020 arrest linked to Hayden Panettiere
Brian Hickerson, the boyfriend of actress Hayden Panettiere, enrolled in a domestic-violence prevention program following his 2020 arrest on assault allegations, and later received a suspended sentence and probation.
Brian Hickerson, who was arrested in Los Angeles in 2020 after police observed injuries on actress Hayden Panettiere, subsequently enrolled in a domestic-violence prevention evaluation offered by the Curran Seeley Foundation, a Wyoming-based outpatient treatment program. In court documents filed in August 2020, Hickerson’s attorney argued for the dismissal of the arrest warrant, noting that Hickerson voluntarily sought the evaluation and expressed a commitment to follow any recommendations.
The filings also disclosed Hickerson’s financial difficulties, including borrowing money from family to cover his bond and an inability to afford travel from Los Angeles to Wyoming for court appearances. Ultimately, Hickerson reached a global resolution in his criminal case, receiving a 360-day sentence with 358 days suspended and a term of unsupervised probation for one year.
According to the court records, Hickerson was also accused of sending threatening text messages to Panettiere after the arrest, including statements about “going to war” and claims that he possessed information that could affect her reputation. Panettiere had obtained a restraining order against Hickerson following the incident.
"I am committed to following any recommendations," Hickerson said in the paperwork.
The couple’s relationship reportedly continued after the legal proceedings, and they were together in an Airbnb earlier this month.