Brian Hickerson, the late Hayden Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend, made a pointed accusation about her death while being detained by police following an altercation at a South Carolina restaurant.
What happened at the restaurant
Hickerson, 37, was handcuffed but not arrested following a reported incident at Wild Wing Cafe in Greenville on Saturday, 12 September. According to TMZ, Hickerson and his brother Zach had been drinking at the venue for hours before Brian reportedly got into an argument with someone at the bar and threw a bar stool. Footage of the incident showed him being carried out of the restaurant as a bartender could be heard shouting for him to be let go. Police had been called to the scene following reports of an assault.
What Hickerson shouted
While handcuffed and seated on the curb outside, Hickerson accused police of leaking information following Panettiere's death last month, shouting: "GPD leaked it when my girlfriend died!" Zach was also handcuffed at the scene after reportedly becoming intoxicated and disorderly.
Background on Panettiere's death
Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive at an Airbnb in Greenville on 16 August, where she had reportedly been temporarily staying. Both Brian and Zach were present at the property at the time. Zach said he went to the home after being unable to reach either Brian or Panettiere, and after waking his brother, the two discovered she was unconscious. Zach called 911 while Brian administered Narcan and the pair performed CPR until emergency responders arrived.
A device used to dispense Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, was reportedly found at the scene on a mattress inside the apartment. It remains unclear whether Panettiere herself received the dose or whether it was intended for someone else present. According to 911 dispatch audio, she died following what was described as an overdose. Her official cause and manner of death remain under investigation, pending toxicology results.
Their relationship history
Brian and Panettiere dated on and off over roughly eight years, a relationship that included multiple domestic violence incidents. Hickerson was arrested on domestic violence charges on several occasions and pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a partner in 2021.
