DEDHAM, Mass. — The Dedham Middle School Principal has been arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The Middlesex District Attorney told FOX25 that Debra Gately was arrested in Weston over the weekend.
According to the police report, an off-duty Waltham officer called 911 after spotting Gately driving erratically on I-95. The officer said Gately almost crashed her vehicle four different times. The Waltham officer followed Gately into a parking lot, where he observed her hunched over with her car door open as if she was going to vomit. That's when he took her keys and called 911, alerting Weston police.
Weston Police said Gately smelled strongly of alcohol, had slurred speech, and had trouble walking in a straight line. The police report goes on to say that Gately said she was driving home at the time. When officers asked her where she was coming from, they couldn't understand what she was saying. The driver failed several field sobriety tests and at the station had a measured BAC level of .19, more than twice the legal limit.
Gately was arraigned in court Monday and released on personal recognizance.
According to school officials, Gately has been placed on administrative leave.
Dedham Superintendent Michael J. Welch told FOX25 he was made aware of Gately's arrest Sunday morning.
"I determined the best course of action was to immediately place Ms. Gately on leave so she has the time to focus on her situation and we can conduct a thorough investigation while minimizing the disruption this situation is causing in our community," Welch said.
Gately has been the principal at Dedham Middle School since 2009. She had recently been named the 2016 Edmund K Fannin MS Principal of the Year. Parents were quick to offer her the benefit of the doubt.
"I think that they should look at what she's done for the school system and I understand there's consequences but I hope that they would take into account the students at school," one parent said.
FOX25 spoke with a father who said he had no idea the principal was on leave until hearing it from our reporter. The father said he was not upset about what happened, but that he was upset he hadn't been notified about it.