Zach Hickerson, brother of Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, was arrested for disorderly conduct after an alleged bar altercation in Greenville, South Carolina. Brian was briefly detained after allegedly throwing a barstool but was released without charges. According to an eyewitness, the brothers were heckled over Panettiere’s death, which sparked the altercation.
Zach spoke to TMZ after the arrest, saying,“It’s super frustrating. All that we’ve been through and all the rumors that get started, and then people believe them.”He previously stated that he called 911 and that he and Brian performed CPR on Panettiere after they went in to wake her up for lunch and realized she was unconscious.
Panettiere died on August 16 inside a Greenville residence at age 36, and her cause of death remains under investigation. The arrest adds another layer to a story listeners have been following closely, raising questions about how the brothers are being treated publicly while the case is still open. What do you think: should mourning families be off-limits from public confrontation? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.