Hayden Panettiere’s Boyfriend Arrested After He Allegedly Punched Her
Hayden Panettiere apparently did not have the most romantic Valentine’s Day this year. Police arrested the Nashville actress's boyfriend, real estate agent Brian Hickerson, on account of domestic violence after he allegedly punched her in the face on Feb. 14.
TMZ reported that Jackson, Wy. police responded early in the morning on Friday to a complaint that an intoxicated man was locked out of his house following an altercation in which he'd struck his girlfriend. Police documents report that when authorities arrived, Hickerson was in the driveway. Meanwhile, Panettiere’s face was reportedly red and swollen, and she had a scraped left hand, which she attributed to hitting against his wristwatch during the altercation.
After investigation, court documents state he allegedly hit her “with a closed fist on the right side of her face.” Hickerson has been charged with domestic battery and interference with police for refusing to identify himself, both of which are misdemeanor charges in the state.
This isn't the first time Hickerson has gotten into hot water with Panettiere. In May of 2019, following a night of drinking in Hollywood, he was arrested and charged with domestic violence against the star. It's not clear who called the police, but officers responded to the scene to find redness and marks on the actress' body, and they took Hickerson into custody after interviewing both him and Panettiere.
At that time, Hickerson was formally charged with felony domestic violence, which was later dismissed due to not being able to secure a material witness. The two were soon seen together again following the dismissal of the charge.
In October of 2018, police responded to a separate incident in which Hickerson got into an altercation with his father to find Panettiere reportedly "intoxicated" and "frantic" when they arrived.
Friends and family of the actress have been reportedly concerned for her well-being over the course of this relationship. In February of 2019, Us reported Panettiere has not seen much of her daughter, Kaya, since she ended her engagement with the child's father, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in August of 2018. The little girl is reportedly living with her father in his native Ukraine.
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