Lohan case returns to court over lying allegations

LOS ANGELES — Lindsay Lohan is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in a misdemeanor case over allegations she lied to police about a June traffic accident, though the actress is not required to attend the hearing.
Lohan is charged with reckless driving, lying to police about whether she was driving when her Porsche slammed into the back of a dump truck, and
obstructing police from performing their duties. The accident occurred while Lohan and her assistant were on their way to shoot a beach scene for the television movie "Liz and Dick."

Lohan told police that she wasn't driving, but police suspect she was behind the wheel. The wreck sent her to the hospital briefly. The actress was on probation at the time for a 2011 necklace theft case and could be sentenced to 245 days in jail if a judge determines her conduct violated her probation. Her probation was revoked last month but she had yet to enter a plea on the new charges.
Lohan's publicist and longtime attorney Shawn Holley did not return messages Monday about the hearing.
The accident was not the only problem she encountered while shooting "Liz and Dick," a film based on the love affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. A week after the accident, paramedics were summoned to Lohan's hotel room when she was late to a shoot. Her publicist at the time attributed her absence to fatigue and dehydration.
The film was expected to be a comeback opportunity for Lohan, who spent the past several years struggling with criminal court cases. Her performance, however, was panned by critics and fans.
She also was arrested in New York after an alleged fight with a woman, but a criminal complaint hasn't been drawn up. The district attorney's office there said last week that its inquiry was ongoing.
Although Lohan is not required to appear at Tuesday's hearing, she would have to appear when a probation violation hearing is scheduled.