Learn about our areas of experties involving state crimes, and better understand your rights.
Learn about our areas of experties involving state crimes, and better understand your rights.
If you are accused of a crime, the only thing standing between your freedom and a verdict of "guilty" is an experienced criminal defense attorney in Wilmington Island, GA.
Those who have been arrested before know that life in the legal system is no laughing matter. Aside from the imminent ramifications of fines and jail time, any goals you have of bettering yourself and advancing your life could be compromised. Without a trusted attorney by your side, you could face a lifetime of embarrassment and poor employment prospects due to a tarnished criminal record.
The good news? Dennis O'Brien and his team of experienced lawyers in Wilmington Island are ready to clear your name. By retaining the help of a criminal defense attorney early in the legal process, you have a much better chance of securing your freedom and living a life as a productive member of society.
At O'Brien Law Firm PC, our practice was founded to fight for the rights of individuals accused of or charged with a crime. Our team of legal experts is well-equipped to take even the most difficult, contentious cases. From violent felonies to DUI, there is nothing we haven't seen and handled. As a former law enforcement officer, founding attorney Dennis O'Brien knows exactly how much a person can lose if convicted. That's why we work tirelessly to secure a verdict that is favorable for our clients.
Regardless of how serious or minor your case may be, know that we will fight fearlessly on your behalf. You deserve zealous representation - when you hire O'Brien Law Firm PC, you will receive nothing less.
Many of our clients are surprised to discover that founding lawyer Dennis O'Brien was a police officer prior to his criminal defense career. As a former Field Training Officer for the Memphis Police Department, he has over two decades of knowledge and experience in the criminal justice system. Dennis truly understands the nuance and complexities involved in a criminal defense case. This rare experience gives Dennis a clear edge in any criminal defense case and gives clients priceless peace of mind when they need it the most. Unlike some criminal defense attorneys in Wilmington Island, Dennis O'Brien and his team believe that every client deserves effective, empathetic legal assistance. While some Wilmington Island criminal defense firms will take weekends off or pass along cases to paralegals, Dennis personally reviews each of his cases. There is no case too small or big for O'Brien Law Firm PC. When you hire our firm, you can rest easy knowing that we will be by your side when the going gets tough.
When you are charged with a drug crime in Wilmington Island, it can change your life forever. Georgia imposes very strict punishments for drug offenses. The truth is, it's hard to get your life back on track with a drug charge on your record. Your freedom and way of life could be in the hands of your criminal defense attorney. As such, you need a competent lawyer with years of experience handling drug cases. Leaving your fate in the hands of an incompetent attorney could have long-lasting effects on your family and may result in a conviction.
While the consequences for a drug crime in Georgia are serious, there's reason to be hopeful: O'Brien Law Firm PC is here to fight for you. Remember - being charged with a drug crime is NOT the same thing as being convicted.
Our stellar team has represented many clients facing numerous drug-related charges. While each situation varies, one constant remains the same for clients facing drug charges: a fear of what lies ahead. At O'Brien Law Firm PC our job is to help you overcome the fear of the unknown. We do so by ensuring you understand your charges, the possible outcomes associated with those charges, and the options you need to consider from a criminal defense standpoint.
No matter what charge you are facing, our team has the experience and resources to build a comprehensive defense strategy for your drug case in Wilmington Island, GA. Without a criminal defense attorney acting as your advocate, you could be facing very harsh penalties. Here are a few punishments you could be facing for drug crimes in Wilmington Island:
Having less than a gram (or one milliliter for liquids) of this type of drug results in a prison term of one to three years. Having four grams or milliliter carries a term of one to eight years.
Any substance on this list is punishable by a prison sentence of one to three years.
If you have less than two grams or milliliters of this substance, punishments can be between one year and three years. Having up to four grams or milliliters results in a prison sentence of one to eight years.
Those who are in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana are subject to a jail sentence of up to 12 months. Fines may be no more than $1,000. Possession of more than an ounce of marijuana can result in a prison term of one to 10 years.
To avoid these life-changing punishments, you must take action now. Contact O'Brien Law Firm today for a consultation about your case.
Contact Me!Violent crime offenses in Wilmington Island typically involve some form of bodily harm to another individual, actions committed against an individual's will, or threatening someone with bodily harm. Aggravated violent offenses are more severe charges and often occur when a violent crime is made more serious due to circumstances like deadly weapons.
Much like serious drug cases, violent crimes create an added layer of negativity that follows the accused for the rest of their life. In these cases, even an accusation is enough to cause irreparable damage to a person's reputation. Those convicted of a violent crime face severe penalties that can include years in a correctional facility.
When you are accused of any of the above crimes, your freedom hangs in the balance. The outcome of your case will determine whether you leave the courtroom with your freedom intact or stripped away to serve time behind bars. Because the punishments for violent crimes are so extreme, you should be seeking legal counsel from a criminal defense attorney in Wilmington Island, GA, as soon as possible. As a former police officer with a long record of positive verdicts in violent crime cases, Dennis O'Brien is well equipped to represent you in court.
Having a criminal defense lawyer by your side is the best way to avoid the serious punishments associated with violent crimes. These punishments usually result in prison time if convicted and include: | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Forced rape: | 20 years | |||
Armed robbery: | Up to 20 years | |||
Simple assault: | Up to 12 months | |||
Aggravated assault: | 10 to 20 years | |||
Aggravated battery: | Up to 20 years | |||
Involuntary manslaughter: | One to 20 years | |||
Vehicular homicide | Up to 15 years | |||
Murder: | Life in prison or the death sentence |
As a former police officer, Dennis O'Brien has seen the toll it takes on a person when charged with a crime. His time in law enforcement allows him to empathize with his clients who desperately need competent representation. Despite being innocent until proven guilty, accusations are scary, and conviction could be a reality. That is why you must work with a trustworthy criminal defense lawyer in Wilmington Island, GA who will work tirelessly to clear your name.
Clients choose O'Brien Law Firm because we believe in open communication, honesty, and hard work. It is not our job to act as judges for those who have been accused of crimes. Rather, our goal is to find the best defense that allows us to protect our clients' rights and freedoms.
Driving under the influence (DUI) is one of the most common crimes committed in Georgia. Punishments for such a crime can be severe, and for understandable reasons - when a person operates a vehicle while they are intoxicated, they're putting their life and the lives of others at risk.
While DUI is a serious crime that completely upend the accused's life, the earnest desire to end drunk driving can make police officers too eager to catch a person who they believe is under the influence.
The city of Wilmington Island, Georgia, has implemented severe punishments for DUI, even for first-time offenders. Individuals charged with DUI in Wilmington Island could face:
Fortunately, if you or someone you love has been charged with DUI, there is hope. This is particularly true when the accused is administered a breath or blood test for DUI. In fact, cases that involve a breath and/or blood test are beaten daily. When you hire O'Brien Law Firm PC, we will dive deep into your DUI case in Wilmington Island and examine every angle possible for your case to be dismissed. Here are just a few questions our team will investigate:
There are numerous ways to beat a DUI case in Georgia, from unreliable field sobriety tests to inaccurate state-administered breath tests. As a veteran criminal defense lawyer in Wilmington Island, GA, Dennis O'Brien has the knowledge and experience to expose the state's mistakes and fight for your rights. When you hire O'Brien Law Firm PC your chances of dismissal are greatly increased. When your case is dismissed, you can continue living life without the burden of a criminal record.
If you or someone you love is accused of a crime in Wilmington Island, GA, don't leave fate up to the prosecution. Take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your family before it's too late.
Contact usTybee Road is frequently the scene of traffic bottlenecks - just not in January, when weather is inhospitable to beach-going sunbathers.The section of U.S. 80 near the Bull River bridge saw a rare winter logjam Monday as the Georgia Department of Transportation began a month-long project to perform preliminary construction related to ...
Tybee Road is frequently the scene of traffic bottlenecks - just not in January, when weather is inhospitable to beach-going sunbathers.
The section of U.S. 80 near the Bull River bridge saw a rare winter logjam Monday as the Georgia Department of Transportation began a month-long project to perform preliminary construction related to replacing the Bull River and Lazaretto Creek bridges.
The work will be performed day and night, which came as a surprise to several Tybee commuters who expressed frustration with slow-going traffic at the Bull River Bridge on Monday morning. Crews installed traffic signals overnight on Sunday to reduce the bridge to one lane, which will allow one direction of traffic at a time while reserving the other lane for the bridge work.
According to a GDOT spokesperson, engineers are studying the bridge's substructure and could not utilize a barge because much of the bridge spans marshland. GDOT is starting with the Bull River bridge and will perform the same work at Lazaretto Creek later this month.
"This is necessary work," said GDOT's Jill Nagel. "We’re getting preliminary pre-construction done."
More on Tybee Road improvements:Plans to replace Tybee Island's Lazaretto Creek Bridge and Bull River Bridge gain traction
GDOT announced plans to replace the bridges in early 2022 after decades of lobbying by local government officials and residents. The current bridges were built in the 1960s and limit traffic to two lanes, one in each direction. The new bridges will be wide enough to accommodate a breakdown lane as well as a bicycle and pedestrian lane, which can be used for emergency vehicles.
The new bridges are part of a $100 million project to widen U.S. 80 between the Johnny Mercer Boulevard intersection, located about a quarter-mile west of Bull River Bridge, and just past the Lazaretto Creek Bridge on Tybee Island.
The preliminary work is expected to continue through Feb. 16. The schedule calls for the both bridges to be fully open to traffic between Jan. 19 and Jan. 22 as well as between Feb. 3 through Feb. 6.
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - If you’re staying on Tybee Island this St. Patrick’s Day, you can skip parking at the parade thanks to a shuttle service by Old Savannah Tours.The shuttles are going to run pretty much all day long starting at 6 a.m. on Friday until 1 a.m. on Saturday.Joey Serpa, the Director of Operations at Old Savannah tours, says taking the shuttle from Tybee to Downtown Savannah is a great way to avoid fighting traffic and worrying about parking.”It’s a huge operation. Tybee, we nor...
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - If you’re staying on Tybee Island this St. Patrick’s Day, you can skip parking at the parade thanks to a shuttle service by Old Savannah Tours.
The shuttles are going to run pretty much all day long starting at 6 a.m. on Friday until 1 a.m. on Saturday.
Joey Serpa, the Director of Operations at Old Savannah tours, says taking the shuttle from Tybee to Downtown Savannah is a great way to avoid fighting traffic and worrying about parking.
”It’s a huge operation. Tybee, we normally use about 40 vehicles just for the Tybee back and forth run. They say every 30 minutes, but sometimes we get a little busy and we’re running a little faster than that.”
If you want to use the shuttle, there are four pickup/drop-off locations available on Tybee Island - River’s End Campground and RV Park, the lighthouse, the DeSoto Beach Club, and Hotel Tybee.
The shuttle will run from there, to the pickup/drop-off location in downtown Savannah - the Marriott Savannah Riverfront on the East end of Bay Street- not to be confused with JW Marriott in the Plant Riverside District.
You can buy a wristband at any of the pickup locations.
“That gets you back and forth all day, as many times as you want. Say you forgot something at your bed and breakfast, you need to run back, you want to come back downtown later, your wristband is good all day.”
It’s a convenient option for paradegoers that want to retreat to the calm of Tybee Island at the end of the night and, one hotel owner said, is a good incentive to get people to stay on the island on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
“We have a good amount of people that decide to stay on Tybee to travel into Savannah for the parade, which hopefully that’ll bring more tourists to the island to be able to travel that way,” said Akash Patel, the CFO of Tybee Lodging Group.
The Old Savannah Tours shuttle is the only shuttle service to and from Tybee on St. Patrick’s Day.
This year, they’re also bringing back a route to and from midtown, with that pickup/drop-off location at the old Sears parking lot at the Oglethorpe mall.
That one runs every hour on the hour, starting at 6 a.m.
Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Tybee Island has had a record breaking year when it comes to turtle nests on the island and as of right now there are 35.The DNR says a coyote has gotten into five of the island’s nests. One of which, was completely destroyed and eaten through.The DNR knows a coyote is responsible because they have evidence. A picture shows a coyote next to a turtle nest marked off with yellow tape. Because they’ve only seen one set of tracks, the DNR figures it’s acting alone.Mark Dodd with t...
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Tybee Island has had a record breaking year when it comes to turtle nests on the island and as of right now there are 35.
The DNR says a coyote has gotten into five of the island’s nests. One of which, was completely destroyed and eaten through.
The DNR knows a coyote is responsible because they have evidence. A picture shows a coyote next to a turtle nest marked off with yellow tape. Because they’ve only seen one set of tracks, the DNR figures it’s acting alone.
Mark Dodd with the Georgia DNR said on developed beaches, like Tybee, finding a food source on the beach is usually a last resort.
“This year was the first time we’ve ever seen any predation of sea turtle nests by coyotes on Tybee,” said Dodd.
While it might be the first time it’s happened on Tybee, Dodd said it is something they see every year as soon as hatching season starts.
“Predators locate nests and the number of nests that are predated increases,” said Dodd.
Dodd says right now there are roughly 4,000 nests along Georgia’s coast.
“Statewide we’ve lost only four nests to coyotes.”
One of which was on Tybee. The coyote, on Tybee, also got into four other nests but Dodd said they weren’t a total loss.
“A loggerhead sea turtle nest has, on average, about 115 eggs and a coyote might take 30 or 40,” said Dodd.
Coyotes are certainly not the only sea turtle nest predator. This year, across the state Dodd said about 120 nests were lost to feral hogs.
So, to help stop further predation volunteers on Tybee took down the yellow tape. Dodd said they’re concerned it’s helping the coyote determine where the nests are.
“We want to remove all that and leave one stake, maybe not in the same spot so they can’t actually use the stakes to locate and depredate the nests,” said Dodd.
Dodd said they put screening over the nests instead. He said it’s an effective method.
“The standard methods we use to protect sea turtle nests from coyotes on some of the islands they’re trapped or hunted, actually physically removed from the beach, which we don’t really have those options on Tybee because of all of the people on the beach at night.”
The DNR said coyotes are generally not a threat to humans, so people shouldn’t panic.
If someone does happen to come across one the DNR said to give them a call and they will take the appropriate action.
Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Tybee Island Fire Chief Jeremy Kendrick says it’s still early on, so they’re just in the monitoring phase for tropical system Ian.They’re paying close attention to the forecasts and meeting with CEMA and other agencies every morning this week as the storm progresses.Because they’re in the monitoring phase, this does mean that the city is in OPCON 4. You’ll hear the term OPCON used a lot during hurricane season. It stands for “operating condition.”It des...
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Tybee Island Fire Chief Jeremy Kendrick says it’s still early on, so they’re just in the monitoring phase for tropical system Ian.
They’re paying close attention to the forecasts and meeting with CEMA and other agencies every morning this week as the storm progresses.
Because they’re in the monitoring phase, this does mean that the city is in OPCON 4. You’ll hear the term OPCON used a lot during hurricane season. It stands for “operating condition.”
It describes the level of alert and preparedness that various state agencies are working under. To put it into perspective, OPCON 5 is what the city is under the majority of the time, which is normal day-to-day operations with no threats.
So, again they are working now in OPCON 4 - meaning there’s a possible threat.
Chief Kendrick says they are checking in with the businesses on the island to make sure they’re prepped and ready. He encourages everyone to do the same. He says now is the time to get your home kits in order and get gas for your generators.
He reminds everyone to not be out on the beach or in the water if the weather is really bad and adds there will not be lifeguards out on the beach when the storm is in our area.
“Be mindful of the storm and what a hurricane brings with it. Heavy thunderstorms, heavy wind, heavy rain. Keep your safety first. Keep your family’s safety first. Make sure that you’re secure at your house. Sand is going to be here, delivered to the city if you need sandbags. If their patios are low-lying, their front doors are low-lying you can sandbag those areas,” Chief Kendrick said.
Like Chief Kendrick said, the city did order sand. He said it should be here either Monday or Tuesday. If you need sand, you can come get it at any time. It’ll be near the volleyball court in Memorial Park.
The city of Tybee Island will be posting to its website as well.
Mobile users can download the WTOC First Alert Weather app by clicking here.
Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Ahead of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, several parts of the Coastal Empire are honoring the civil rights icon this weekend.On Tybee Island, the city hosted its own commemoration that marked its 10th anniversary Saturday and even though the event looked different than years past, organizers say their goal remains the same.Tybee Island’s Post Theater was home for the celebration which a reflection on the island’s own civil rights advances and an acknowledgment of the work organizers say st...
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Ahead of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, several parts of the Coastal Empire are honoring the civil rights icon this weekend.
On Tybee Island, the city hosted its own commemoration that marked its 10th anniversary Saturday and even though the event looked different than years past, organizers say their goal remains the same.
Tybee Island’s Post Theater was home for the celebration which a reflection on the island’s own civil rights advances and an acknowledgment of the work organizers say still has to be done.
“We have come full circle to know that we are one people. We’ve come a long way,” said Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization co-founder Julia Pearce.
Past celebrations have seen a parade march down Butler Ave.
This year, organizers opted for a “parade in place” at the theater without floats or bands, but still giving those the option to gather.
“January is a real cold time to have a parade. Really, it is, it’s cold. It was a gathering, so that’s what we did for the parade,” said Pearce.
Pearce says a common space for musical performances and guest speakers allowed those in the theater to focus on the program’s goal.
“What’s important about Dr. King is that one person can make a difference. He had people working with him, just like we have people working with us. So when people come together for a passion, you can change the world. That’s what we want people to remember,” said Pearce.
Former city officials were honored for their work in bringing MLK Jr. Day commemorations to Tybee, which are grand marshalled this year by former Chatham County judge LeRoy Burke III.
“We have endured a lot of negative things in the past few years and this type of event lets us know that there is hope for us as humans and us as humanity,” said Burke.
Organizers hope that a shared spaces for dialogue and performances will highlight Dr. King’s ultimate message.
“...that all men are created equal, men and women are created equal and we come together to make that so. That’s our job: To make it better, to love everyone, to take away walls of division and just to be one people.”
Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.