Teacher-inmate headed back to court after being released 14 days early
by Colton Campbell/Times-Georgian
Oct 26, 2012 | 4932 views | 2 2 comments | 9 9 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The Allenhurst, Ga., woman who pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in June will be back in court next week to have her sentencing corrected.

Gloria Faith Dupree, 23, was sentenced to two years in prison for causing the death of motorcyclist Matthew Dyas in October 2011 by driving under the influence and failing to yield the right of way.

But in a condition which former Assistant District Attorney David Taylor described as atypical, she was allowed to serve time at the Carroll County jail only during school breaks lasting three consecutive days or longer. Dupree teaches at a school near Savannah.

Dupree was released from Carroll County jail on July 9 on good behavior, 14 days before her summer jail term was supposed to end.

Dupree will be back in court Tuesday with her lawyer, Powder Springs-based attorney Anthony Hallmark, to hear from Judge Dennis Blackmon on a motion from the district attorney’s office requesting that she spend the 14 days she missed in jail sometime during her four-year probation.

Assistant District Attorney John Cunningham said the sheriff’s office let Dupree go early, but that the office wasn’t to blame because it was such an unusual arrangement.

“They were unaware of that part of our agreement,” Cunningham said. “It’s not a standard situation, so they released her early on good behavior. As soon as we heard about that, [Taylor] filed a motion to have her serve those 14 days she didn’t serve. That’s what we’ll be hearing in court Tuesday.”

Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Kevin Johnson, an assistant director of the jail, said Dupree was part of the in-facility work program and had not received any disciplinary reports, allowing her to be released on good behavior. Dupree worked in the sheriff’s office, inputting data into a computer.

“If they’re in a work program and they haven’t gotten any disciplinary reports, which can range from talking back to an officer or getting in fights, we release them on good time,” Johnson said. “As long as they follow the rules, they get released on good behavior.”

Dupree was arrested in October 2011 after her vehicle struck a motorcycle while driving to the University of West Georgia’s homecoming game. Matthew Dyas, 20, was the driver of the motorcycle and died at the scene. He was a member of UWG’s men’s golf team.

The collision occurred near the entrance to the UWG stadium.

Dupree, driving a 2006 Nissan Maxima, made a left turn from the westbound lane of Lovvorn Road and into the path of Dyas’ motorcycle, which struck the car’s passenger side, according to the state patrol at the time of the accident.

Dupree was charged with five counts: homicide by vehicle in the second degree, reckless driving, driving under the influence, failure to yield right of way and following too closely.

Dupree, a UWG graduate, was on her way to the homecoming game after attending a party at her former sorority house that morning. She was joined in the car by several of her former sorority sisters and friends. She told officers at the time of the accident that she had a few champagne drinks before driving, but she passed two of the three field sobriety evaluations and her blood test came back under the legal driving limit.

Dupree was sentenced to four years of probation after her two years of jail time have expired. Her time in jail was required only when the school at which she teaches had breaks of three consecutive days or longer. That included summer break, fall break, winter break, spring break and any other breaks. Dupree did not have to go to jail if she had just Friday or Monday off, as well as the weekend.
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valerie10
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November 01, 2012
Wish2010, Your very right, this girl should be under the jail, she is lucky the boys family was so kind and then she is sorry enough to socialize in Carollton and then lie about it. She needs to stay in her hick town of Hinesville. This is such a shame that such a low end person took such a great, christian, athelete, 4.0 student from this earth and look who is still running around, the bad one. I blame her family also, for not giving her any guidance, they dont know any better either. All she had to do was go back to jail for her full term and none of this would be happening. She will get what she deserves one day. It isnt our place to punish. I would hate to know I had to get up and go to bed every day knowing I caused the death of a great person. Trylove, your so right, but trust me i am sure she has no contacts, she has a website to raise money just to pay for her attorney. She has nothing and especially no social class to know an attorney. But your so right in your message..that was an awful day. imagine Mr. Dyas family...I cant imagine..

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Read more: Times-Georgian - Dupree hearing on return to custody continued
tryLOVE"insteadof"HATE
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October 28, 2012
I remember this awful day and can't believe how easy she go off for taking the life of that young man. Looks like justice is about who you know and not the crime or rights of the victim and the grieving family. There are people serving years for a lot less.