A Peachtree City man was convicted of criminal trespassing and acquitted on several other charges stemming from several domestic disputes at his ex-wife’s Fayetteville home in fall 2004.

Joseph Andrew “Andy” Dodson was acquitted Tuesday morning of stalking and two counts of simple battery by a Fayette County State Court Jury.

On the witness stand, Dodson and his ex-wife had two different stories about what happened on the night in question. Heidi Dodson Haas told the jury that her ex-husband showed up at her home and refused to leave, spending the night in her bedroom. After Dodson entered the home, Haas said he grabbed her by the arm, causing a bruise.

Andy Dodson said his ex-wife invited him to come over that evening after he called her on the phone to ask about their two children. Dodson said once he was there, she refused to let him leave by keeping the keys to his truck.

Dodson admitted to grabbing Haas in what he said was an attempt to move her out of his way after she struck him with her hands. Haas said she didn’t call the police at the time because she was worried about possibly losing custody of her children.

Though there was a court order from another case ordering Dodson to stay away from Haas, he said that he co-owned the home with her. Dodson’s attorney argued that position gives him a legal right to be there.

Another of the charges surrounded an incident when Haas said Dodson came to her house, banged on windows and asked to retrieve his guns that were in the home. Haas said she was scared at the time and locked all the doors.

Dodson said he merely asked her to retrieve his hunting weapon because deer season was coming up soon.

Dodson will be sentenced in July by Fayette State Court Judge Fletcher Sams.

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