Hayden Panettiere Breaks Her Silence After Boyfriend's Arrest

Hayden Panettiere is famous for her roles on popular shows such as Heroes and Nashville, but behind the scenes, the actress is dealing with an incredibly serious issue. On Feb. 14, 2020, the star's boyfriend, aspiring actor Brian Hickerson, was arrested "following an alleged physical dispute" with Panettiere, according to Us Weekly.

The incident took place in Jackson, Wyo. at around 2:30 a.m. That's when Hickerson allegedly hit Panettiere "with a closed fist on the right side of her face" after the two had been fighting. Us Weekly reported that authorities received "a concerned call," and when they arrived at the scene, they found Hickerson in the driveway of a home. "He reportedly told police the actress was inside 'saying he beat the f**k out of me.' ... Police added he wouldn't answer when they asked if he hit her."

Panettiere also reportedly told officers that Hickerson had thrown her as well as punched her. According to Us Weekly, "Her face was reportedly red and swollen, and she had a scrape and swelling on her left hand." Hickerson was arrested and charged with domestic battery and interfering with a police officer (for allegedly refusing to provide his name.) He was released on a $5,000 bond.

As for Panettiere, she has now broken her silence after the alleged attack.

More than a week after Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly attacking her, the actress broke her silence via social media.

Panettiere shared a picture of her 5-year-old daughter, Kaya, and her ex-fiancé, boxer Wladimir Klitschko (pictured above.) Kaya reportedly lives in Ukraine with her dad. "Best father ever," the loving mother and co-parent wrote in the since-deleted Twitter post (via AOL). That was when a Twitter user blatantly asked, "Before or after he beat you[?]" Panettiere responded by pointing out that they were mistaken, writing: "Wrong guy. Klitschko's r legends. That's my CHAMP."

Another follower on Twitter asked Panettiere how she was doing following the incident with Hickerson. "Always good," the actress replied along with a blushing emoji.

Panettiere may be saying that she's doing well, but that may not be the case, considering this is just the latest incident involving Hickerson's allegedly violent behavior.

This certainly wasn't Brian Hickerson's first brush with the law. In May 2019, he also faced charges for domestic violence, and again, his target was allegedly Hayden Panettiere.

A source told TMZ that the star and Hickerson "were out drinking together in Hollywood ... before heading back to their pad." That's when "the couple [apparently] had an argument that turned physical and, at some point, cops were called." Police reportedly "noticed redness and marks on Hayden's body" and arrested Hickerson, charging him with "felony domestic violence." Hickerson was reportedly released on $50,000 bond. The charges against him were eventually dropped.

At the time, a judge did grant Panettiere a protective order, according to Us Weekly, but an insider claimed that "Hayden and Brian may not [have been] following the court order." According to the source, "There is not one single person out there who isn't concerned about Hayden. What Brian did to Hayden is unacceptable behavior, and it's not to be tolerated."

Unfortunately, Hickerson (pictured above) continues to make headlines over his allegedly violent behavior.

In 2018, Hayden Panettiere allegedly fled Los Angeles to get away from Brian Hickerson (pictured above) after another violent incident. At that time, his alleged anger wasn't directed toward her, but at his own father, David Hickerson.

Just after 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2018, police in Greenville, S.C. reportedly responded to "a domestic assault in progress," per Us Weekly. When cops arrived, an officer reportedly "witnessed Brian chasing David," who "appeared to [have] blood on his face," through the kitchen "in an agitated state" while carrying "an unidentified object." Panettiere was present at the time and "appeared to be frantic" while "struggl[ing] to unlock the door in a hurry" to let police in.

The younger Hickerson, who was "visibly agitated, trembling, and flexing his body and cursing," was reportedly put in handcuffs, but initially refused to give his identity. According to Us Weekly, Brian claimed the men "had gotten into an argument because [David] had been drinking too much." David reportedly told the police he'd been drinking and had fallen.

Whatever happened on that particular morning, it's clear that the dynamic surrounding Panettiere and Hickerson's relationship is incredibly worrisome.

Those close to Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson (pictured) are reportedly "concerned" about the couple. They reportedly began dating in 2018, but a source told Us Weekly that Hickerson's family is "terrified" that he "will once again find himself accused of domestic violence." The insider also noted that "Hayden and Brian are very toxic for each other."

Panettiere's attorney had this to say on behalf of the actress' relatives: "Hayden's family trusts her to make her own decisions and recognizes that Hayden is a strong, intelligent woman who is capable of doing so."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224. You can also find more information, resources, and support at www.thehotline.org.