Dedham ‘principal of the year’ on leave after alleged DUI

A Dedham middle school principal is on administrative leave after she was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

The incident happened on Sunday when officers say Debra Gately was pulled over and arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated,The Boston Heraldreported.

“Based on the seriousness of the charges, 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,” Dedham Public Schools Superintendent Michael Welch wrote in a statemen quoted in The Boston Herald.

Gately, who became principal of Dedham Middle School in 2009, was given a “principal of the year” award from the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association in 2015, according to a report from WickedLocal.com.

Gately was arraigned on Monday and is due in court next week,WHDH added.