Assistant Public Defender Robert W. Attridge Jr. is free on a $5,000 bond following his arrest Monday night at his Tybee Island home after he allegedly attacked his wife during a quarrel turned violent.
Attridge, 59, is charged with one felony count of false imprisonment and misdemeanor charges of obstructing or hindering persons making emergency telephone calls, obstructing law enforcement officers, and battery under the Family Violence Act.
According to a five-page Tybee Island police report, officers were called to the Attridge home on Carpenter Road about 10:25 p.m. Monday, where they found Attridge on top of his wife, Emily, pinning her to the floor.
“Mrs. Attridge was screaming for help,” officer Eddie Dicus reported. “I smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from (Attridge’s) person.”
Officers reported Mrs. Attridge was in a similar condition.
According to the report, Attridge said he and his wife had drinks with “several friends.” After their company left, Attridge told police his wife “went crazy” and they started to argue when she attacked him with a candlestick, then said it was a wine bottle.
Mrs. Attridge told police they had drinks with “some of Mr. Attridge’s attorney friends” at the house. She told officers the two quarreled after their friends left “because she had somehow embarrassed him,” police reported.
“Mrs. Attridge stated their arguments got worse and worse, however they never escalated to physical violence before,” police reported. During the argument, Attridge pushed her face into the couch cushions and attempted to smother her, she told the officer.
She said when she went to call police Attridge jumped on her back and took the phone from her, police reported.
Police reported she had a black eye and her face was swollen when they broke the scuffle up. Attridge suffered cuts to his feet and scratches to his face, police said.
Police found blood in front of the couch “all over the floor” and broken glass on the floor and “what appeared to be blood” on Mrs. Attridge’s cellphone, the report said
Attorney David Burns, who represents Attridge, declined comment Wednesday.
Chief Assistant Public Defender Bill Lewis said Wednesday, “It’s a pending criminal case. At this time, we wouldn’t have any comment, and it is being handled by someone out of our office.”