A Gassville man facing multiple felony charges stemming from a September domestic altercation will no longer be restricted from contacting his wife after a Baxter County judge approved lifting the no contact order Monday.
Dale Gene Dickerson, 38, appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court on Oct. 12, where he waived arraignment and pleaded not guilty to eight counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of second-degree criminal mischief, four counts of second-degree assault on a family or household member, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. The charges follow a September 15 incident at his residence on Wood Duck Lane.
During this week’s court proceedings, Circuit Judge Andrew Bailey reviewed a motion filed Sept. 30 by Dickerson’s attorney, Clifford Sward of Mountain Home, to drop the no contact order barring Dickerson from his wife. Sward argued that the order had forced Dickerson, a disabled veteran, to temporarily relocate 160 miles from his home, complicating access to medical care. He also pointed out that the three minors originally involved in the case had moved out of the area, minimizing the risk of inadvertent contact.
Dickerson’s wife, who supported dissolving the order, testified that she felt comfortable with her husband returning to their home. In response to Judge Bailey’s questions, she stated that she was “fine” with the change and confirmed that the teenagers mentioned in earlier reports were no longer living in the house.
Based on this testimony, Judge Bailey approved lifting the order. Dickerson remains free on a $15,000 bond and is due to return to court on November 16.
### Details of the Incident According to investigators' reports, the Sept. 15 altercation began as a domestic dispute that escalated into a series of violent acts. A minor in the household called 911, prompting a Baxter County sheriff’s deputy to respond.
When the deputy arrived, witnesses recounted that Dickerson, reportedly intoxicated, had been fighting with his wife both inside the house and in the front yard. At one point, Dickerson entered a camper trailer parked at the property, where he allegedly searched for firearms. Witnesses said Dickerson’s father-in-law distracted him while one of the minors moved guns out of the trailer and into a truck.
Dickerson then attempted to retrieve the firearms from the truck, which had been secured by another man accompanying the juveniles. Witnesses alleged that Dickerson shouted threats to kill the group if they did not return his guns, even ripping a door handle off the vehicle in an attempt to enter.
Authorities retrieved six handguns and two rifles from the vehicle. As a convicted felon, Dickerson is prohibited from possessing firearms. Witnesses also reported that Dickerson had physically assaulted his wife during the confrontation, grabbing her by the throat and shoving her to the ground, while also threatening to kill her.
### Criminal Background Court records indicate that Dickerson has prior run-ins with law enforcement. In 2010, he was arrested in Craighead County and initially charged with residential burglary and third-degree battery. He later pleaded guilty to the battery charge, and the burglary charge was dropped. He served 12 months of probation.
In 2025, Dickerson faced charges in Mississippi County, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement or corrections officer, resisting arrest, and making terroristic threats. He pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault charge, resulting in a 24-month probation term. At the time of the September incident in Baxter County, Dickerson was reportedly under the supervision of the Arkansas Community Corrections office in Mountain Home.