Hayden Panettiere‘s former partner, Brian Hickerson, faces allegations related to drug use just days ahead of the actress’s tragic passing at the age of 36.
Court documents accessed by People reveal that on August 21, prosecutors accused the 37-year-old Hickerson of continuing drug use amidst his bid to annul previous domestic violence charges. Notably absent from the hearing were both Hickerson and his legal counsel.
The August 13 hearing saw prosecutors contend that Hickerson’s appeal to erase two felony convictions for inflicting corporal injury on a partner should be rejected. Back in 2021, Hickerson accepted a no-contest plea during a domestic violence case involving Panettiere, resulting in a 45-day jail sentence, of which he served 13 days. He was also placed on four years of formal probation, mandated to complete 52 domestic violence classes, subject to a five-year protective order, and required to pay $500 in restitution.
At the recent hearing, the prosecution alleged that Hickerson seemed “quite high on what appears to be a stimulant,” asserting he was “very clearly not sober” during a recent interview, as reported by the outlet. The prosecutor claimed Hickerson spoke extensively about the documented abuse featured in his victim’s highly successful memoir, making several admissions about it. This follows a May interview with TMZ where Hickerson discussed Panettiere’s memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
In the days before Panettiere’s untimely death, Brian Hickerson had reentered her life. A source disclosed to Us, “Brian was with her at the time of her death,” indicating he had become entangled with her life, even monitoring her. This aligns with an incident report from the Greenville City Police Department, which further underlines the complexities surrounding her final days.
The prosecutor also stated that Hickerson “was high and arrested at a local restaurant in West Hollywood” in August 2025.
Us confirmed that Hickerson was arrested twice within a matter of days, the first time at a bar on August 2, 2025, and again on August 6, 2025. Records show that he was cuffed at 5:14 p.m. on August 2, booked at 5:45 p.m. and released at 3:17 a.m. the following morning. On August 6, he was arrested just before 8 a.m., booked at 9:12 a.m. and released later that evening.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department confirmed to Us that charges for both arrests were “under the influence of a controlled substance.”
According to records viewed by Us, Hickerson did have a hearing on August 13, which was three days before Panettiere’s death. His expungement request was ultimately denied by a judge.
Following the hearing last week, the L.A. County D.A.’s Office told People in a statement that prosecutors opposed Hickerson’s petition “based on the individual’s Aug. 2, 2025, arrest” and what they characterized as his “continued demonstrable drug use.”
Us has reached out to Hickerson’s attorney and the prosecutor in the case for comment.
Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16. She was found unresponsive at a residence in South Carolina by Brian and his brother, Zach Hickerson. Emergency services arrived at the scene to perform “advanced cardiac life support measures,” but the actress was pronounced dead that afternoon.
Hayden Panettiere felt compelled to set firm boundaries with ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson in the months before her death, including taking steps to protect herself. “She helped him from time to time because he made her feel guilty, claiming he was trying to turn his life around, but couldn’t because she put him in jail,” a […]
An autopsy was completed and found “no signs of trauma that would have contributed” to Panettiere’s death, per the coroner’s office. The cause and manner of her death “remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies.”
The New York Times reported on Thursday, August 20, that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was investigating Panettiere’s death.
Brian broke his silence on Panettiere’s death in a statement shared via his attorney Sloan Ellis.
“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis told Us on Thursday. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”