Hayden Panettiere's friends are 'relieved Brian Hickerson can't contact her'... after judge prevented him coming within 100 yards of her
Hayden Panettiere's family and friends are reportedly relieved that a judge prevented her boyfriend from coming within 100 yards of her, after being charged with domestic violence.
'The restraining order is the beginning of something good,' a source told Us Weekly on Friday.
The 29-year-old Nashville star's boyfriend Brian Hickerson, 30, who was arrested on May 2, can't contact the actress after the order was put into place on Thursday.
Court ordered: Hayden Panettiere's family and friends are relieved that a judge prevented her boyfriend Brian Hickerson from coming within 100 yards of her (pictured December 2018)
'Change is different, and to be honest with yourself, but everyone is very afraid for Hayden, and her friends and family believe that people with this history do not change overnight,' the source added to the publication.
He has been ordered to stay away from the actress following his arrest for domestic violence earlier this month.
TMZ reported that Hickerson was charged by the L.A. County District Attorney's Office and could face up to four years in prison.
And a source confirmed to MailOnline that Hickerson has been charged with one felony count of injuring a spouse, cohabitant or girlfriend.
Hickerson pleaded not guilty when he appeared at his arraignment on Thursday where a judge issued the protective order. The actor is now forbidden from coming within 100 yards of the Heroes star.
The aspiring actor cannot reach out to his girlfriend via phone calls or emails and is also banned from possessing firearms.
Radar Online reports that the prosecutor told the court Hayden sustained injuries and bruises to her arms, ear, and neck area.
'He hit her on the face, causing her to get dizzy,' the prosecutor said at the arraignment on Thursday.
No go: He has been ordered to stay away from the actress following his arrest for domestic violence earlier this month (pictured Jan 31)
The District Attorney claimed there were other unreported incidents of domestic violence in the relationship.
Hayden appeared to be standing by her man as the couple stepped out together in LA on May 13, two weeks after the incident, wearing matching necklaces.
The original arrest came after a night of drinking on May 2 resulted in an altercation which saw the actress initially appear with red marks on her neck before it was later discovered that the injuries were more serious than originally believed.
New chapters: Hayden's friends think the restraining order is the start of something good (pictured January 2017)
Panettiere and Hickerson have been dating since last summer, shortly after her split from former boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
After the breakup, Klitschko returned to his native Ukraine, where he is raising the couple's four-year-old daughter Kaya.
Panettiere revealed in 2017 that she had checked into rehab suffering from postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter.
She has also been taking a break from acting following the finale of Nashville, which wrapped up in 2018.
The incident in April has intensified Panettiere's family and friends' concern for the star, who were reportedly already concerned about the dynamic between her and Hickerson.
Broken up: Panettiere and Hickerson have been dating since last summer, shortly after her split from former boxer Wladimir Klitschko with whom she shares a daughter ( pictured together June 2013)
Back in November a source told Us Weekly that the the couple 'party a lot together and it's not a healthy situation, but none of the people close to her really know what to do. She doesn't listen to anyone.'
The two time Golden Globe nominee has been taking a break from acting following the finale of Nashville, which wrapped up in 2018.
Before playing a country diva on the ABC-turned-CMT series, Hayden got her start on daytime TV as a child with appearances on One Life To Live and Guiding Light.
Her star continued to rise in the mid 2000s with her role as cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC sci-fi series Heroes.
