Lindsay Lohan was arrested in New York during the early hours of Wednesday morning on charges that she clipped a pedestrian with her car and did not stop, police have confirmed.
The man Lindsay Lohan allegedly knocked down has claimed that the actress was “slurring her words” and “smelled like alcohol”.
Manhattan chef Jose Rodriguez also said people at the scene “acted like I was nothing”, telling the New York Daily News: “[It was like] no one could touch her because she was rich and powerful.”
Lindsay Lohan, 26, was preparing to park her Porsche Cayenne at the Dream Hotel in Manhattan at 12:30 a.m. when she allegedly hit the knee of Jose Rodriguez.
One of Lindsay Lohan’s passengers got out and checked her vehicle for damage, and then the group continued into the hotel to attend an event it was reported.
When Lindsay Lohan emerged from the venue at 2:30 a.m., police were waiting for her and she was arrested.
The actress was booked for the misdemeanour offence of leaving the scene of an accident and released with a desk appearance ticket – meaning she did not have to pay bail before her release.
Jose Rodriquez was not knocked down by the vehicle and had no visible injuries, but was still taken to Bellevue Hospital after calling 911.
He claims doctors said he had “torn tendons” and gave him morphine for the pain.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly confirmed no Breathalyzer test had been carried out at the time as law enforcers believed Lindsay Lohan was sober.
Though the offence is a misdemeanour, it could trigger a probation violation in her 2011 jewellery theft case as one of the conditions of probation is that she obeys all laws.
Lindsay Lohan is allegedly describing the incident as “really fishy”. And believes she is the victim of a “set up” and plans to fight the claims.
Fortunately, Lindsay Lohan may have back-up in the guise of a surveillance video, which TMZ are reporting “shows the guy… is grossly exaggerating”.
The video is said to show LiLo driving down a ramp as she entered the hotel, with the alleged victim walking in the pedestrian path – an area the actress had to cross to get into the building.
TMZ state her car was “traveling at a crawl” and it is “unclear” if it makes contact with the man.
However, once she has driven off, the video sees the pedestrian in question “sprinting after her”.
When Lindsay Lohan emerges from her car, she “doesn’t seem flustered or aware’ she may have hit someone”.
Notoriously outspoken father Michael Lohan has waged in on the debacle, to stand by his daughter.
Adamant she was sober at the time of the incident, he told Radar Online: “I am happy that she is away from other people and was NOT drinking last night.
“[I am] so happy that Lindsay had confidence in me. I love her; I will always be there for her.”
A source told Radar Online that LiLo told police to call her father when they arrived at the scene.
This is not the first time the actress had been involved in a car crash.
In June of this year Lindsay Lohan smashed up another Porsche after claiming she was cut up by a truck.
The actress later blamed the manufacturing of the vehicle but tests carried out after the crash found the breaks were working fine.
In May of 2007, Lindsay Lohan was arrested on suspicion of drinking under the influence and this led to her heading for rehab for 45 days.
In July of that year, Lindsay Lohan refused to take a sobriety test and was taken to a police station where her blood alcohol level was over the limit. She also had some cocaine in her pocket.
Lindsay Lohan, who spent 23 days in jail after violating her probation agreement following a DUI, took to her Twitter page recently to blast law enforcement officers for not doing more to stop actress Amanda Bynes who was caught driving with a suspended licence recently.
She tweeted: “Why did I get put in jail and a nickelodeon star has had NO punishment(s) so far?”
Just last month, Lindsay Lohan was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department over the purported theft of $100,000 worth of luxury items from the home of her multimillionaire friend Sam Magid.
The L.A. County District Attorney dropped burglary charges due to “insufficient evidence”.
After being charged with misdemeanor theft and probation violation in February 2011 following the shoplifting of a necklace from a Venice Beach store, Lindsay Lohan was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 480 hours of community service.
In addition, the actress was also ordered to remain under supervision whilst completing all of her community service.
She pleaded no contest in court, and was put under house arrest complete with ankle bracelet monitor due to jail overcrowding.
Lindsay Lohan was then later sentenced to 30 days in jail and 400 hours of community service in November, after she was found guilty of violating her probation because she failed to perform her community service at a Los Angeles morgue.
She entered jail on November 7, 2011, but was released after just under five hours, again due to overcrowding.
The actress finally ended her supervised probation in March this year after fulfilling all of her community service and therapy requirements.
And despite being involved in the hit and run and car crash earlier this year, has remained relatively out of trouble.
Lindsay Lohan is currently trying to get her life and career back on track, and recently completed filming Liz & Dick, the Lifetime Elizabeth Taylor biopic, and independent film, The Canyons, written by Bret Easton Ellis and directed by Paul Schrader.
Lindsay Lohan’s spokesman Steve Honig said: “While some of the facts are still being gathered, it appears that this is much ado about nothing.
“We are confident this matter will be cleared up in the coming weeks and the claims being made against Lindsay will be proven untrue.”
