Hayden Panettiere shocks fans after being spotted holding hands with 'abusive' ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson's brother
Actress Hayden Panettiere was recently granted a protective order following alleged abuse and violence at the hands of her former boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.
In a bizarre twist, the 30-year-old actress was spotted holding hands with the brother of her ex in New York City last week. She was seen smiling as she held onto Zach Hickerson's hand in shocking new pictures.
Brian had been arrested on domestic violence charges in May. However, Panettiere seemed very content with Brian's brother Zach and the pair was seen grinning as they walked together.
"Hayden and Zach are friends and have been for a while," a source close to the actress told People. "Hayden is upbeat, and looking forward to a great year," the source added.
Zach has founded the Acts 321 church which is located in South Carolina.
The source also spoke about Panettiere's plans to celebrate her birthday which will be private and low-key. She will mark the occasion with her 4-year-old daughter Kaya who stays with Panettiere's ex Wladimir Klitschko in Ukraine.
As 'Nashville' concluded last summer, Panettiere has taken a break from acting in order to focus on her personal life. She dated Wladimir from 2009 to 2011 and then again from 2013 to 2018. She then started dating Brian.
The couple had a very rocky relationship and, in May, cops became involved when Brian got violent. Prosecutors had alleged that he had "willfully inflicted corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon Hayden P."
On May 23, Brian was charged with one count of felony domestic violence and pleaded not guilty, as per the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office. According to one of Panettiere's lawyers, she has not been in contact with Brian though the relationship is still a concern for Panettiere's family. "Her friends and family have been worried about her for quite a while, and things seem to have gotten worse. She needs to do some soul-searching," a source added.
If Brian is convicted, he could face up to four years in jail.