Boyfriend of late actress involved in Greenville bar altercation
Brian Hickerson and his brother were detained after a fight at a South Carolina bar weeks after Panettiere's death, with no charges filed against Hickerson.
Police in Greenville, South Carolina, responded to a disturbance at Wild Wing Café on Sept. 12 at about 9:10 p.m. Officers found several people involved in an altercation and detained multiple patrons while investigating the incident. Two of those detained were identified as Brian Hickerson, the boyfriend of the late actress Hayden Panettiere, and his brother Zachary Hickerson. Zachary, described as highly intoxicated, was arrested on a disorderly-conduct charge and taken to the county detention center.
Video footage released online showed Brian Hickerson handcuffed and with visible injuries outside the restaurant. In the clip he referenced the police department’s handling of his girlfriend’s death. Another video obtained by a media outlet showed him throwing a bar stool before being escorted from the venue. Police later released Hickerson without filing charges.
The incident occurred less than a month after Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive in a Greenville residence on Aug. 16. Hickerson and his brother called 911 and provided authorities with a bag of medication the actress had been taking. An autopsy found no traumatic injuries contributing to her death, but the case remains under investigation, with the DEA also assisting.
Representatives for Hickerson and Zachary did not respond to requests for comment. Panettiere’s representatives have asked the public to refrain from speculation and to direct any credible information to law enforcement.