Investigators Say Paparazzi Didn't Cause Lohan Crash
By Richard Winton
Times Staff Writer

1:33 PM PDT, October 5, 2005

Investigators said today they do not believe celebrity photographers caused teenage actress Lindsay Lohan to crash her Mercedes-Benz into a delivery truck.

"It was not a factor. It didn't cause the accident," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Gage.

The agency's conclusion contradicts statements made by Lohan's representative, and leaves the official cause of the accident yet to be determined.

Within seconds of the crash, at least two photographers were snapping images of the distressed actress, witnesses said.

Gage said that the investigation has shown that the case may be "a civil matter." He said a citation may be issued for violation of the California Vehicle Code, an infraction.

The accident Tuesday afternoon was on Robertson Boulevard near Beverly Hills, just blocks from where the star was rammed by a paparazzi earlier this year in an incident that led to a criminal investigation and a new law penalizing stalker photographers.

Tuesday's accident occurred shortly after Lohan was trailed and photographed by paparazzi as she lunched and shopped along the boulevard.

"This is another example of the paparazzi endangering citizens, both Ms. Lohan and the other driver in the collision," Leslie Sloane, the actress' spokeswoman, said Tuesday. Sloane could not be reached today.

Sheriff's Lt. Keith Swensson said authorities are looking into whether the van driver made an illegal U-turn.

While heading north on Robertson, Lohan, in her black convertible Mercedes sports car, broadsided the van on its driver's side. The van's driver was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries, authorities said, while Lohan and a passenger suffered minor injuries.

According to witnesses and authorities, the star of such films as "Mean Girls" and "Herbie: Fully Loaded" was behind the wheel when she struck that maroon van that was making the U-turn in front of her. The accident occurred just before 5 p.m. near Beverly Boulevard.

The van, which was driven by an employee of the Newsroom Cafe, was trying to pull into a parking space when it was struck on the driver's side and propelled into a large truck, authorities said.

"It was a very violent crash," said witness Katherine Starr, 50, of New Orleans. "It was such a loud impact. It was explosive."

The air bags on Lohan's Mercedes deployed, and the actress and her friend opened their doors and ran into a nearby antiques store.

The van's driver stumbled onto the street and was helped by employees of the restaurant, witnesses said.

The stretch of Robertson where the crash occurred is a haunt for stars, who are drawn to its boutiques and eateries. The area also draws celebrity photographers looking to snap candid photos.

It was in the same neighborhood four months ago that Lohan made headlines when a celebrity photographer rammed his car into her car. The accident gave rise to a special investigative task force that prosecutes criminal cases against aggressive paparazzi.

On May 31, police arrested Galo Ramirez, 24, on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, and said Ramirez was attempting to photograph Lohan when the collision occurred. Several other paparazzi were on the scene almost immediately to photograph and videotape a distressed Lohan.

The crash prompted a new law that imposes steep financial penalties for paparazzi who commit assaults in their pursuit of celebrity photos. The measure, which goes into effect Jan. 1, was signed into law Friday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Arnold Cousart, owner of the JFX photo agency, said with Tuesday's collision, "yet again we are being made scapegoats."

"Lindsay taunts the photographers," he said, denying any photographers were near the collision.


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Times staff writer Monte Morin contributed to this report.

 

what an ignorant little b*tch. she blamed the paparazzi when it was he mistake. she doesn't deserve that car in the least bit and only sold tickets after she grew some ****.

anyway, she probably thinks the car is worthless now....id offer her a couple hundred bucks for it and she'd probably take it. it looks relatively easy to fix. worst thing wrong could be mabye a new radiator and support or the expensive lights but mostly it looks like just body damage....id love to steal it from her, she would have no clue its still worth anything...

 

did u damn kids really watch the news?? or watch "Insiders", or "Entainment Tonight"?? Is was this dumb guy making a ILLEGAL U-TURN! SOMETIME U JUST CANT AVOID AN ACCIDENT WHEN SOME1 MAKING A ILLEGAL U-TURN WHEN U LEAST EXPECTED!

 

LOL I concur.

 

What I find most offensive is that the press initially reported that she had wrecked her "$350,000" Mercedes convertible. Um, huh? It's a 65 not an SLR.

 

u watch the wrong channel then! i watch "Insiders", they said she wrecked her "180,000$ Mercedes". and it' NOT HER FAULT! this dumb guy made a ILLEGAL U-TURN in front of her!

 

Looks like an epidemic.

Jim

 

*sigh* what a waste..... if I were her, I would've never bought a mercedes anymore, particularly SL65.... 4 months, 2 accidents, same kind of car (even same color looks like except the interior).....

 

i heard that the van came out of a n ally illegaly. either way it wasnt her fault.

 

I wonder what her insurance premiums are? I know she could afford it, but I would be curious.

 

I don't even think if she switched to Geico she'd be saving a whole bunch of money...

 

are u kidding?? Mercedes is a SAFE car, with any other cars she might be ....

 

The first one had a tan interior - the second one a black one! This is disgusting... I can't believe there are two less Sl65's (unless they were salvaged) in the world because of her!

 

I think she should get silver next time, with black skull and crossbone symbols on the hood, roof and both doors. Give everyone a heads up that she's coming. Blacks not doing so good for her.

 

Black is the right colour! Same as the wagon from a funeral home

 

I hear that PCH, totally true. In this town, it really like driving through a video game, avoiding people that indicate left, but turn right... people stopping the middle of the street, i wish i had the two bars police cars have... i would be ramming the s h i t out of people all day

 

go0o0od idea

 

I was going to ask the same thing! I guess once your car is that messed up, though, it doesn't really matter anymore. If I were her I'd just buy a new one; she can afford it. It's a shame, that was a beautiful car!

 

well hollywood (and most of the world) loves her, so she's profitable, so she won't be blacklisted anytime soon.

and i hate to tell you guys, but she probably got that car for free. pays a dealership/mb to have hot stars driving around in AMGs.

do you think she'll sell me her rims?

 

it was kelsey grammer who received a new viper for signing his contract as a gift. he didn't evn get a mile from his home and wrapped it around a pole. what did they do to him? well they bought him a new one of course! having said that, lohan probably bought her own.

 

no, it's the same car. they both had charcoal w/ burl walnut trim. they showed her license plates on this most recent crash and they were 5LZF---, which means registry was around January '05, her other crash was around May. So unless she bought a used car, this is the same one that was in the other crash.

 

Thats what happens when "kids"....yes "kids" get a handle of power and money. She will be on those "look where they are now" shows in about 10 years. For those who hate her, just be calm and wait for it. A moron like that.....oh it's comming!! Or maybe rehab.

About the car.....a good MB service manager would/should have taken those AMG SL65's and de-tuned them. I mean really, it's just not safe. I feel there should be a ratio of BRAIN CELLS to HORSEPOWER, BC/HP. I can't think of one girl in my life that is safe behind 600HP. An impressionable unexperienced youth like L.Lohan with that car is very dangerous. Not cool. You've seen what happens..more than once now. Yank the damn ECU and cut that baby to about 250HP and the people of LA can sleep at night knowing the streets are safe. The idiot wouldn't know the difference and she would "LOOK" just as cool as the rest of the herd.

MOST IMPORTANTLY......WHERE ARE THESE KID'S PARENTS??????????????

 

JUST ONE QUESTION: at which one of the two Accidents was she at fault?
i beleive none.

 

HA HA HA HA......what ever you say bud. HA!!

Neither one of use really know. Base it on the character at hand brother. 2 SL's wrecked within that time. She has bad luck????? rrrriiiiiggghhttt......Your telling me she drives the speed limit and uses her directionals in that thing?? You don't buy that car to drive slow.

I take it you haven't spent much time in vehicles with two girls that age up front. I have......it's scary.

BTW, is the Herbie movie released on DVD yet????

 

Oh I'm sorry, I suppose you were there to witness both accidents. No? Well then you were certainly involved in the investigations after the fact for both accidents? No to that too, eh? Well hmph, how ever can you dismiss someone's idea when its backed by police reports, new legislation that sprung from the first crash, and an investigation into illegal acts by the van driver in the second accident? How about you stick with your first line (Neither of us really know) from that post and just go ahead and delete the rest of it.