The Umansky Law Firm

Painter Thomas Kinkade, whose paintings seem to be in every mall gallery and model home across the country, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor drunken driving in Carmel, California last Friday.

The self-described "painter of light" was pulled over for a vehicle code violation by a Monterey County sheriff's deputy who then called for assistance from the California Highway Patrol. When CHP arrived, they performed roadside sobriety tests and determined he was impaired. Throughout the testing, Kinkade was reportedly "very polite." He submitted to a blood test, but his results are not being released. Kinkade was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving in the Monterey County jail.

Perhaps related, on June 2, Kinkade's company, Pacific Metro filed for bankruptcy protection. The company allegedly owes between 1000 and 5000 creditors a total of $10 million to $50 million. Two gallery owners in Virginia are owed $2.4 million. The couple won a fraud claim against Kinkade in arbitration in 2006.

The misdemeanor DUI charge will likely see Kinkade paying a fine and having to take alcohol classes, especially if it is his first. Kinkade is surely more concerned about the millions of dollars his corporation owes creditors, and the fraud charges.

It's as easy to bring a man down as it is to build him up. When he has others around him giving him advice, their bad decisions only hurt him while they skate away mostly intact. Sadly, the sentimental nature of Kinkade's art so loved by many in the country may result in his personal and financial ruin.

If you have been charged with DUI in Orange County or Orlando, Florida, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for a free case consultation.