A nightclub "spat" turned into third-degree assault charges for actress Lindsay Lohan early Thursday morning after she was arrested outside Chelsea's Avenue nightclub for allegedly striking a female patron.

It remains unclear what the two were fighting about, but TMZ's moles report that Lohan and the victim were seated in adjacent booths and had exchanged words prior to the assault.

Following an initial argument, Lindsay reportedly asked the woman to "give me my space." TMZ says "some time passed" before Lindsay suddenly punched the unidentified person in her face "for some reason."

A NYPD spokesman who spoke with MTV said Lohan was still in custody at the 10th precinct, and will likely be issued a desk appearance ticket for a later court date before being released.

The Liz & Dick star remains under informal probation for that business at the jewelry store last year, so a conviction could mean real jail time.

Also, there is still the matter of the car accident this summer which is still under investigation. The police believe LiLo was lying about not being behind the wheel, and TMZ claims she will be charged with lying to law enforcement officials.

UPDATE: As anticipated, Lindsay was released around 8 AM this morning with a court date.

The New York Post has identified the victim as 28-year-old Tiffany Eve Mitchell of West Palm Beach, Florida, adding that the alleged punch caused "bruising and swelling" to her face. Mitchell and her husband were seated next to Lohan and her entourage in the club's VIP section when an unrelated fight broke out. At some point the two "bumped into each other" and an altercation ensued leading to the alleged assault. A man who identified himself as Mitchell's husband later told reporters "Lindsay Lohan got drunk and went crazy [and] hit my wife."

Below, footage of the arrest, courtesy of TMZ:

[photo via AP]