Taking precautions. Hayden Panettiere got a protective order against ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson after they split in the wake of his February arrest.
The Heroes alum, 30, reportedly filed for an out-of-state restraining order against Hickerson to protect her in her current home state of California after previously obtaining for the order elsewhere, according to The Blast. News of the legal action comes five months after her then-boyfriend was arrested in Wyoming for allegedly punching the former Nashville star in the face. The incident led to his second arrest for domestic abuse following another domestic violence dispute with Panettiere in May 2019. Hickerson pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Earlier this year, a source told Us Weekly that Panettiere was “in a good place” and “on the path to recovery” after calling off her two-year relationship with Hickerson. The actress has been seeking the support of her loved ones, including ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, who are all “hoping this experience will be a reminder to her that life should be good.”
The Bring It On: All or Nothing star got engaged to Klitschko, 44, in 2013 and the pair welcomed daughter Kaya together one year later. Their romance came to an end in August 2018 and Panettiere moved on with Hickerson soon after. Despite their split, the retired professional boxer has still been in Panettiere’s corner through her recent ups and downs.
“Wlad is very concerned for Hayden,” an insider told Us in February, shortly after the alleged incident with Hickerson in Wyoming. “He still cares for her and truly wishes her the best.”
The New York native, who recently made a return to social media, shared the love with the Ukranian athlete with a thoughtful tribute on Father’s Day. “You’re our champ every single day,” she wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of her ex snuggling with their daughter. “We love you so much!!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ #blessed 🙏🏽.”
While the romantic aspect of their relationship is no longer existent, the former couple has been lucky to “get along” with one another after their breakup.
“We’re still respectful of each other, and we still have that friendship with each other,” Panettiere told Us exclusively in January 2019. “It’s not a situation that you find yourself in all that often, so it’s a new one. But I think we’ve done a really good job.”
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