Brian Hickerson detained after bar incident in Greenville
Brian Hickerson, Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend, was arrested and later released following a dispute outside a Greenville bar, where he reportedly shouted about the actress's death.
Brian Hickerson, 37, was taken into custody by Greenville police on Saturday after a disturbance at the Wild Wing Café bar. According to police reports, Hickerson and his brother Zach were removed from the premises following a chair-tossing incident and were found arguing with other patrons outside the venue.
Both men were handcuffed; Zach was charged with disorderly conduct, while Hickerson was released without charge. During the encounter, Hickerson is reported to have shouted, > "GPD leaked it when my girlfriend died," accusing the police department of releasing information about Panettiere's death.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at her Greenville apartment on March 3 and was pronounced dead at the scene. A police report indicates that emergency responders found her in cardiac arrest, with a possible overdose suspected. The Drug Enforcement Administration has opened an investigation into the circumstances of her death.
Hickerson's past legal issues, including prior domestic-violence arrests, have been noted in media reports, but no charges related to the bar incident were filed against him. The investigation into Panettiere's death continues.