Actress Lindsay Lohan's father will serve up to four years in prison after pleading guilty to drunken driving, attempted assault, aggravated harassment and criminal contempt.

The "Freaky Friday" star's father, Michael, received the jail sentence for crimes including crashing his car into a utility pole in Long Island, New York, in February, reports the Internet Media Database.

The violation was upgraded to aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle after investigators discovered he had been driving with a suspended or revoked licence and had a blood alcohol reading of nearly double the legal limit.

He was also sentenced for attempting to attack his brother-in-law with a shoe at a party in May.

Michael's lawyers asked the court if he could enter a drug rehabilitation programme instead of serving the jail sentence, but the judge denied the request.

"Michael will seek treatment so that he can put his life back in order and put his relationship with his children back in order," his defence attorney said.