Retired pro Rohan Dennis faced court for the first time today for the charges of causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life in the tragic incident that killed his wife and the mother of his children, Olympian Melissa Hoskins, in December.
Dennis remained silent as prosecutors requested time to complete a major crash reconstruction, ABC reports. The request was granted with bail extended to seven months, backdated to the December incident. Dennis did not enter a plea, and will reappear before the Adelaide Magistrates Court in Adelaide, Australia, on August 6. If Dennis is convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Dennis has yet to make a public statement about the tragedy, and remained silent as media swarmed the former World Champion as left the court building.
Hoskins, 32, was killed after being struck by a car on Saturday, December 30, outside the couple’s home in Adelaide. Hoskins was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital but succumbed to injuries overnight.
The incident was reportedly caught on a neighbor’s security camera. Dennis, who was allegedly behind the wheel, was consequently arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Dennis was bailed and attended his wife’s funeral along with the couple’s two young children in January. Here, Hoskins was remembered as a “champion mum” as well as an outstanding Olympic cyclist.
“Melissa’s zest for living touched so many people,” Hoskins’ father said at the funeral. “We’re celebrating a life today that was cut way too short. Melissa was just warming up. Her best performances were yet to come. “When Melissa retired, she reset her goals,” her father added. “It’s time to become a champion mum… Mel was the rock for her family.”
Melissa Hoskins on the far right.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A second, public, memorial service in Hoskins memory was held in Adelaide on what would have been her 33rd birthday in February. Dennis again attended the ceremony.
Hoskins was a celebrated track and road cyclist representing Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games as part of the team pursuit squad. She won five medals at various track World Championships and finished on the podium three times in the team time trial at the road World Championships. As part of the Orica-AIS team, she won the Tour of Chongming Island in 2012. Hoskins retired in 2017 at the age of 25. She married Dennis in 2018 and gave birth to their first child that same year.
Dennis, a fellow Australian, retired from cycling at the end of 2023 after a career that saw him win stages at the Vuelta a España, Giro d’Italia, and the Tour de France. He built his success on time trialing, becoming the individual time trial world champion in 2018 and 2019. Toward the end of his career, donning the colors of Ineos Grenadiers and Jumbo-Visma, Dennis turned his power into helping his team’s leaders as a super-domestique.
