Boyfriend of Hayden Panettiere Arrested For Allegedly Punching Her

Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, has been taken to jail again for striking her. Adding insult to injury, the reported assault took place on Valentine’s Day.

Hayden Panettiere’s Boyfriend Arrested

TMZ reports that Hickerson was arrested at approximately 2:30 a.m. on February 14. The pair had had a fight when Hickerson reportedly struck Panettiere, according to police, “with a closed fist on the right side of her face.”

The Teton County Sherriff’s Office came to a private residence to investigate after a caller said that a drunk male was locked out of the home after he “punched his girlfriend in the face.”

Deputies, upon arriving, found Hickerson in the driveway. According to documents, he allegedly told authorities that Panettiere was inside the house. When they spoke to the actress, she added that he “beat the [expletive] out of” her.

The police say that Hickerson avoided answering questions but added that he had employed a private chef to stay so he wouldn’t be accused of any wrong-doing. Officers spoke to the chef, who said that he had departed the house around 1 a.m., but added that he witnessed the couple arguing earlier in the night.

Panettiere told the police that Hickerson threw her around and punched her when they were in their bedroom. According to the report, the actress’s face was red and swollen, and she had a scrape and swelling on her left hand, which may have come from Hickerson’s watch striking her during the fight.

Deputies arrested Hickerson for assault and on an additional charge for refusing to identify himself.

This isn’t the first time there’s been trouble. Panettiere told TMZ last November that all was well in her relationship despite a past felony domestic arrest earlier in the year. The first case was dismissed because a material witness (Panettiere) couldn’t be secured.

Panettiere was introduced to soap audiences in 1994 when she played Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live. She stayed there until 1997 and the following year she moved over to play Lizzie on CBS’s Guiding Light until 2000.

She starred in the primetime hit Heroes on NBC from 2006-2010 and later joined the cast of Nashville — which lasted from 2012 until 2018. In 2014, she gave birth to daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, whose father is former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko. They broke up in 2018.

If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. For anonymous, confidential help, 24/7, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.