He may be a free man, but former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis still carries the burden of the accident that killed his fellow athlete wife Melissa Hoskins.
The Olympic medallist received a suspended jail sentence for the ‘inherently risky and dangerous act’ that resulted in his 32-year-old wife’s death when she was hit by the car he was driving outside their home during an argument on December 30, 2023.
He walked free from court in May after pleading guilty to an aggravated charge of creating likelihood of harm. The judge said that while the athlete had disregarded his wife’s safety, he was not criminally responsible for her death.
But as our photos outside the Adelaide home where the tragedy unfolded show, his lost love has never left him.
Dennis, who has been banned from driving for five years as a result of the incident, was seen ferrying his youngest child to daycare or kindergarten on Tuesday.
He was riding a bike with a child’s carrier trailer attached to the back, but his daughter was riding her own bicycle. Dennis was also seen watching his son ride his bike near their home.
Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis is pictured still wearing his wedding ring after the car-crash death of his wife Melissa Hoskins in December 2023
The 35-year-old was sporting the gold band as he rode with his daughter on their way to kindergarten or childcare near the Adelaide home where Hoskins’ tragic death occurred
Dennis is pictured with his son this week. Hoskins’ parents have said they want to maintain a ‘well-mannered relationship with him’ for the sake of their grandchildren
In a telling detail, Dennis was wearing a gold band on his ring finger, which appears to be the same one given to him by Melissa at their wedding in February 2018.
The children are said to be excellent bike riders, just like their parents, with Melissa also representing Australia at the Olympics in team pursuit cycling.
A local told us Dennis’s daughter is often seen riding her bike around the neighbourhood under her father’s watchful eye, and is a friendly child.
Dennis and the children are still living at the home and using the back lane where Melissa tragically died.
There was no sign of the Volkswagen Amarok that Dennis was driving during the fatal accident, but his garage housed a small back coupé sports car, thought to be a Porsche GT3.
When he was approached for comment by Daily Mail Australia, Dennis politely said ‘no thanks’ and walked inside.
He also kept his thoughts to himself when he left Adelaide District Court on May 14 this year with a 17-month jail sentence, wholly suspended.
The 34-year-old was stony-faced after Judge Ian Press decided not to jail him so he could look after his two children.
Dennis told police that harming Hoskins (pictured together) was ‘the last thing I’d ever bloody do’ when he was interviewed after her death
Dennis was banned from driving for five years when he received his suspended jail sentence
The 35-year-old wouldn’t speak to reporters outside court (pictured) when asked if he’d like to apologise for what happened on December 30, 2023
The court was told that the couple had argued over kitchen renovations before Dennis left their home and began to drive away along the laneway beside their home.
Ms Hoskins had jumped onto the car bonnet before falling to the ground and was run over.
She suffered serious injuries and died in Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Judge Press emphasised that Dennis was not being held criminally responsible for his wife’s death.
During his interview with police, the Olympian – who had competed at the London 2012 Olympics, Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021 – told officers he had no intention of harming his wife, adding that it was ‘the last thing I’d ever bloody do’.
‘We were yelling at each other, and I was just like “I’m out”, as in like I’m just gonna leave the house,’ Dennis told officers.
‘As I was getting in my car, my wife Mel ran out and as I was moving she jumped in front and onto the bonnet.
‘So I kept driving slowly down the lane and was like just looking at her, saying, “What are you doing?”
‘Then we got to the end of Medindie Lane and I stopped and noticed Mel was looking to jump off basically… and she jumped off.’
Hoskins’ parents Peter and Amanda are pictured making their emotional statement to the media after their son-in-law was sentenced
Recounting the moment that Hoskins fell to the floor, Dennis told police officers: ‘She attempted to grab the door handle, which I believe she got a handle on now and must have been running next to the car trying to get onto the footstep to the side.
‘At this stage, I’ve realised that like, she’s probably gonna try and get on and it’s getting a little bit out of control.
‘From memory, I let go of the accelerator but I heard a thump and I saw in my mirror that she was on the ground.’
Unlike Dennis – who refused to answer when he was asked if he wanted to apologise outside the court – Hoskins’ parents wanted to make a point about how the family should deal with the tragedy.
‘We’re glad the trial is over, and shortened considerably by Rohan’s guilty plea,’ Peter Hoskins said through tears.
‘It is now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa’s expectations of us.
‘Clearly we want to continue to be an integral part of their children’s lives and their future.
‘How we do this in a meaningful way, and a relevant way, will take time as we refocus on our lives going forward without Melissa.
‘With respect to Rohan, as hard as it’s going to be, it’s important that we also have a well-mannered relationship with him.
‘Oliver and Madeleine [the couple’s children] deserve this. They have done nothing wrong… we miss Melissa terribly. She was someone really special.’
