Champion cyclist Rohan Dennis pleads guilty over Olympian wife’s death in Australia
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Rohan Dennis, a former world champion cyclist, has admitted guilt regarding a charge linked to the tragic death of his wife, Melissa Hoskins, an Olympian. She lost her life in a car accident near their residence in Adelaide on December 30 of the previous year.
Hoskins was hit by a car that Dennis was driving. At first, Dennis faced charges for driving dangerously and causing a death, but he later admitted to a lesser offense of putting others at risk of harm.
On Tuesday, Jane Abbey KC, who is representing Dennis, told the court that both sides, the defense and the prosecution, had come to an agreement to dismiss the initial charges. Instead, they will proceed with a more serious charge related to the potential for causing harm.
Ms. Abbey told magistrate Justin Wickens in court that it has been decided that there will be a request to consider a plea deal for three charges, which means the initial charges will be dismissed.
The charge recognizes that Dennis acted carelessly, but it doesn't make him accountable for his wife's death. "Mr. Dennis did not intend to hurt his wife, and this charge does not hold him liable for her passing," she explained.
Dennis, 34, who stepped away from competitive cycling in 2023, will receive his sentence at a future date.
Mr. Wickens informed the court that Dennis was behind the wheel while his wife was close to or on the vehicle, either aware that this could lead to injury or showing a reckless disregard for the possible risks. The crime was viewed as more serious due to the couple's relationship.
Hoskins, 32, suffered critical injuries in the event and was transported by paramedics to Royal Adelaide Hospital for medical care, where she unfortunately lost her life.
The offense can lead to a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a five-year ban from driving.
Dennis, who admitted his guilt, has been released on bail and will face sentencing in the district court on January 24.
Hoskins was buried in her hometown of Perth in January of this year, and a public memorial service took place in Adelaide in February, which Dennis and their two children attended.
After her passing, tributes poured in from around the globe for Hoskins, a world champion and two-time Olympian. She tied the knot with Dennis in 2018.
Hoskins participated in the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016, competing in the team pursuit event. He was also a member of the team that claimed the world championship title in this event in 2015. Dennis, who is a two-time world champion in the road time trial, earned a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2012 Olympics and secured a bronze in the road time trial at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
In 2015, Dennis etched his name in the record books as the seventh Australian to don the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. He also triumphed in the Tour Down Under that same year.
On social media, people expressed their frustration over the reduced charge. One user commented: “I’m outraged. He accepted a plea deal for a lesser charge. Does that imply it was a less significant death? Or that the person who died was less important, whether as a mother, a wife, or a champion cyclist?”
