Less than 24 hours before the punching incident at an NYC nightclub, Lohan was "dancing like crazy" past 2 am at The Darby, at one point "causing a scene" when she thought she lost her phone, says an onlooker.
"She even demanded that a girl at a nearby table empty her pockets."
The following night, Lohan appeared drunk, according to reports, before she allegedly punched Tiffany Mitchell at a Manhattan nightclub. She is due in court for the altercation on January 7, reported People magazine.
The 26-year-old continues to struggle with alcohol, says a friend. "She will fool people into thinking she's changed, but at some point in the night, she always snaps and it's always the same story."
Lohan is "out of control. Her friends don't know what to do. She won't ever change," added a second source.
She is due in a Los Angeles courtroom on December 12 for a hearing relating to a June 8 car accident that resulted in three misdemeanor charges, including lying to a police officer.