Actress injured in Hollywood crash

Actress Lindsay Lohan and two others were taken to hospital after the Herbie: Fully Loaded star’s Mercedes-Benz convertible collided with a van in West Hollywood.

Witnesses said 19-year-old Lohan was trying to avoid paparazzi photographers when the crash happened yesterday afternoon local time. The actress was also involved in a road accident last June as she tried to avoid a photographer.

Lohan and a female passenger in her car received minor injuries, said Sgt Diane Hecht of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The driver of the van, which was knocked into a parked vehicle, suffered moderate injuries, Hecht said.

The accident was witnessed by a number of people, including Victoria Recano, a reporter for the syndicated television show The Insider.

She told The Associated Press she saw Lohan and her passenger run into an antique store immediately after the accident.

Javier Ramirez, who works at Hideaway House antiques, said he recognised Lohan. “She was very upset,” Ramirez said. “She kept saying, ’Oh my God, oh my God, I can’t believe it’.”

Ramirez said Lohan and her passenger left after a few minutes and although both were shaken up, neither appeared badly hurt.

Television news footage showed a badly damaged black Mercedes outside the store with both its driver- and passenger-side air bags inflated

The Sheriff’s Department said the driver of the van appeared to be turning in front of Lohan’s car when the vehicles collided. There was no evidence alcohol was involved, Hecht said.

Witnesses said dozens of paparazzi photographers had been following Lohan through the area before the crash. At one point, according to Lori Satzberg, 43, of Calabasas, several photographers tried to take pictures of Lohan as she shopped. The photographers then followed her outside to her car.

“There were about 30 photographers outside covering the store, the poor girl just was shopping and they were just like hounding her,” said Satzberg, who was shopping with her 13-year-old daughter.

“She got into her black Mercedes across the street and they literally were like sitting on her car, trying to take pictures of her, she was like yelling at them to get off.”

The crash was the second one involving Lohan in recent months.

Police said she was attempting to evade a paparazzi photographer in June when the photographer crashed his car into her Mercedes. She suffered cuts and bruises but did not seek medical attention.

The photographer was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon. Police said it appeared he deliberately crashed into the actress’ vehicle.