Rohan Dennis has negotiated a plea deal on the death of his wife. There are no winners here.
He is known to have had mental health issues, whether this has been a factor at all here is unknown.
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Olympian Rohan Dennis ‘not responsible’ for causing wife Melissa Hoskins’ death
One of Australia’s top sportsmen has admitted to being “recklessly indifferent” but not responsible for the death of his Olympian wife outside their affluent Adelaide home.
Rohan Craig Dennis pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday to aggravated creating likelihood of harm, relating to the death of his wife, 32-year-old Melissa Hoskins.
Jane Abbey KC, for Dennis, told the court her client would be entering a guilty plea to an alternative charge and the charges of causing death by dangerous driving and aggravated driving without due care would be dropped.
“There was no intention of Mr Dennis to harm his wife,” she said.
“And this charge does not charge him with the responsibility for her death.”
Dennis, through his guilty plea, admitted to driving a motor vehicle when Melissa Hoskins was on or in close proximity to that vehicle, knowing that act was likely to cause harm to another and being recklessly indifferent to whether such harm was caused.
The mother-of-two died on December 30 after the family’s dark grey 2022 Volkswagen Amarok Highline V6 ute struck her on Avenel Gardens Rd, Medindie.
Major Crash police had previously charged Dennis, a former world champion cyclist and Olympian, with killing her by dangerous driving.
Dennis stood silently as he listened from the dock during the short court hearing and did not address the media as he left the court.
The Advertiser understands police will allege Hoskins, also a retired professional cyclist and Olympian, jumped onto the car bonnet and then grabbed at a door handle.
Officers will allege Dennis, a dual world champion who retired from his 16-year cycling career last year, continued to drive the 4WD until she fell to the ground.
Police will allege the victim was dragged some distance along the leafy street, which is located in one of the state’s most expensive suburbs in Adelaide’s inner north.
Police say some of the incident was caught on neighbours’ security cameras.
Hoskins, originally from Perth, later died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital from catastrophic injuries.
At the time authorities seized Dennis’ $70,000 vehicle, which he is believed to have bought a year ago.
Dennis was previously facing a maximum 15-year prison term and mandatory minimum 10-year licence disqualification but his admitted charge now comes with a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment and a five-year licence disqualification.
On Tuesday, Magistrate Justin Wickens committed Dennis to the District Court for arraignment next month.
