Olympian Rohan Dennis faces cause death by dangerous driving charge

Prosecutors have confirmed charges against former Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis in the death of his wife and fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins last year.

Police allege Dennis, 34, recklessly hit the 32-year-old mother of two while she was behind the wheel of a truck outside their Medindie home in Adelaide’s north on December 30.

Mrs Hoskins was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital but died later that night.

At a hearing in Adelaide District Court on Tuesday, prosecutor Talia Costi confirmed that police will charge Dennis with causing death by dangerous driving and driving without due care.

Dennis, dressed in a sharp suit, stood silently during the hearing and refrained from commenting. He left the courtroom and got into a waiting car.

Mrs Hoskins was buried in her home town of Perth and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February, on what would have been the cyclist’s 33rd birthday.

Dennis has been out on bail since his arrest.

He will appear in court again on October 30 to answer to the charges.

If found guilty, the cycling champion faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years

Dennis’s fate changed quickly and was shocking.

Just three years ago, he stood on a podium in Tokyo, celebrating his place in sporting history as an individual Olympic medalist.

He first came to prominence at the 2012 London Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the 4000 metres team pursuit on the track.

In Brazil in 2016 he finished fifth in the individual time trial, but his greatest achievement may be the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 28, 2021.

In memorable scenes at the Fuji International Speedway he took the medal with a time of 56:08.09.

Dennis said at the time that he had done “everything possible” to take home the gold.

“It would have been great to win gold of course, but I did everything I could to get to this position and I just got beaten that day by two better guys, so I can be proud of everything me and the team achieved,” he said.

In 2017, he became engaged to Ms Hoskins, a fellow Olympian.

Mrs. Hoskins competed in the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in track cycling.

She narrowly missed out on a medal in London, finishing fourth in the team pursuit category for the 3000 metres.

In Rio she finished fifth in the 4000m team pursuit.

In 2018, the couple married and are set to settle with their two children in a green home in Adelaide’s upmarket Medindie neighbourhood.

In 2022, Dennis won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

In 2023, he retired from cycling and thanked Ms Hoskins for her support in a heartfelt message on social media.

“Thank you Melissa Dennis for supporting me throughout my entire professional career while raising two of the best children I could ever ask for,” he said.

Melissa’s father Peter, mother Amanda and sister Jessica expressed their sadness over her death in a statement on January 2.

“Words cannot express our sorrow, sadness and the tragic circumstances of Melissa’s passing,” Mr. Hoskins wrote on behalf of the family.

‘Amanda, Jess, my family and I are devastated and still struggling to come to terms with what has happened.

‘We have not only lost a daughter and a sister, her children have also lost their mother, a free spirit, a giver with a big heart, patience and zest for life.

“She was the rock in their lives and ours and we need to honor her memory so they can grow up knowing who she was, what she stood for, and what she gave to everyone she touched in her life.

“The outpouring of grief and support has been overwhelming. In her short life, Melissa has had so many positive moments of contact in and around the world.”

Hundreds of people gathered in Adelaide on February 24 to say goodbye to the world-class cyclist.