New details about Brian Hickerson’s behavior in the months before Hayden Panettiere’s death have emerged as authorities continue investigating what happened to the actress. Hickerson was reportedly permanently banned from at least three bars in Greenville, South Carolina, following concerns about his alleged drinking and conduct while intoxicated. The development comes as Panettiere’s death remains under investigation by state authorities and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Sources with direct knowledge of the situation told TMZ that Hickerson was barred from Hooters, Twin Peaks and another Greenville bar within the last two to three months. The bans reportedly stemmed from concerns about excessive drinking and intoxication at the establishments.
According to the sources, Hickerson could be nice, kind, and engaging with staff members while sober. However, they claimed his demeanor sometimes changed after he became intoxicated. Hickerson allegedly became erratic and irate and reportedly refused to cooperate when employees asked him to leave because they believed he had consumed too much alcohol.
No representatives for the bars were quoted in the available report, and Hickerson has not publicly addressed the allegations.
Hayden Panettiere’s Death Remains Under Investigation
Panettiere was pronounced dead on August 16 after she was discovered unresponsive inside a Greenville Airbnb she had been sharing with Hickerson. His brother, Zach Hickerson, previously said that he went to the property after he was unable to reach the couple.
Zach claimed that he and Brian found Panettiere unconscious and attempted to save her while emergency services were contacted. Brian reportedly administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, before first responders arrived.
The presence and use of Narcan does not establish Panettiere’s cause of death. Toxicology results remain pending, and authorities have not announced whether narcotics contributed to her passing.
State authorities and the DEA are assisting with the ongoing investigation. No criminal charges have been announced in connection with the actress’s death.
Prosecutors Previously Accused Hickerson Of Being ‘Quite High’
The reported bar bans are not the first allegations concerning Hickerson’s behavior while allegedly under the influence. Three days before Panettiere’s death, Los Angeles prosecutors reportedly criticized Hickerson in court over his appearance during a May 2026 interview with TMZ’s Charlie Neff. Prosecutors claimed that he appeared “quite high” during the interview. Hickerson was also arrested in August 2025 after he was allegedly under the influence at a restaurant in West Hollywood.
Since Panettiere’s death, Hickerson has largely remained inside his family’s Greenville home. He has reportedly been seen leaving only to retrieve deliveries and run errands.
Meanwhile, Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, has publicly criticized Hickerson and questioned his role in the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s death. However, authorities have not publicly identified him as a suspect or accused him of causing Panettiere’s death.
Hickerson Previously Faced Assault Allegations Involving Panettiere
Hickerson’s relationship with Panettiere had previously drawn attention because of domestic violence allegations. According to court documents, police responded to calls from neighbors who reported hearing a woman “screaming” on May 2, 2019. Officers reportedly observed bruising on Panettiere’s body, which she allegedly said had resulted from an earlier incident involving Hickerson during a trip to Puerto Rico.
“Officers reported seeing more than 10 darker bruises throughout the victim’s arms, back and legs. When asked about these additional injuries, the victim explained the two had been in Puerto Rico a few days prior and that the defendant (Hickerson) had assaulted her, leaving numerous bruises on her body,” the court documents state.
Prosecutors sought to introduce the alleged Puerto Rico incident while pursuing their case against Hickerson. “Both incidents help to illustrate the defendant’s propensity for violence against women he dates,” the DA argued in the motion to introduce the alleged Puerto Rico incident and the one involving his previous ex in their case against Hickerson, claiming he “lies in order to increase his chances of getting away with the crime at hand.”
Authorities Have Not Announced Hayden Panettiere’s Cause Of Death
Although Hickerson’s reported bar bans, alleged intoxication and past legal history have come under renewed scrutiny, none of those details establish what caused Panettiere’s death. Her cause and manner of death have not been publicly released, and toxicology testing remains pending.
Hickerson has not been charged with any crime connected to Panettiere’s passing. The investigation remains active as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.
