Olympian died in ‘tragic accident’ after jumping on husband’s car bonnet during argument with world champion cyclist
A FORMER Olympian has avoided jail after his wife was killed in a “tragic accident” outside his Adelaide home.
Rohan Dennis, 34, was handed a suspended sentence after the car he was driving led to the death of Melissa Hoskins in 2023.
Dennis was arrested after Hoskins, 32, suffered grave injuries in the incident.
He was initially charged with dangerous driving, driving without due care, and endangering life.
A former cycling star on both track and road, Dennis pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of creating a likelihood of harm in December.
The 34-year-old appeared in court on Wednesday and was sentenced to 17 months.
Hoskins, a fellow Olympic cyclist, dived on the bonnet of Dennis’s car as he left their home following an argument.
With his wife on the bonnet, court documents claim Dennis continued to drive for about 75 metres at a speed of 12.4 miles per hour.
Dennis stopped at an intersection, with Hoskins reaching for the door handle.
Sentencing Dennis, Judge Press said: “What happened next does not form the basis of the charge as the prosecution accept that, unbeknownst to you, your wife held onto the car as you accelerated down the street.
“It was then that she fell and lost her life.”
Dennis avoided prison on the condition that he enter into a two-year good behaviour bond.
He also saw his driver’s licence suspended for five years.
Dennis was a two-time world champion with Australia in the team pursuit.
He competed at the 2012 London Olympics, taking silver in the same event.
On the road, he wore the yellow jersey at the Tour de France after winning the opening time trial in 2015.
He raced for five different teams during his career, retiring from the bike two years ago.
Hoskins represented Australia in the team pursuit on the track at the Olympics in 2012 and again at Rio 2016.
The couple were married in 2018 and have two children.