Former Olympian Rohan Dennis Gets Shortened Jail Time for Car Crash That Killed Fellow Olympian Wife

Former Australian Olympic cyclist and world champion Rohan Dennis received a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to charges related to the death of his wife, fellow former Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins, in December 2023.

Dennis, 34, previously pleaded guilty to one aggravated account of creating the likelihood of harm after Hoskins, 32 was struck and killed by a car he was driving outside their home, following an argument the couple had over kitchen renovations, according to BBC, the Associated Press, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The outlets reported that Dennis also had his license suspended for five years.

“I accept you have a sense of responsibility for all that occurred, I accept you have anguished over what could have been different if you had acted in some other way,” Judge Ian Press told Dennis at his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, May 14, according to the AP.

“Given your plea of guilty, your remorse, that you are the sole carer for your young children, and given all your other personal circumstances and the circumstances of the offending, I am satisfied that good reason exists to suspend that sentence,” the judge added.

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Hoskins’ mother Amanda Hoskins also addressed her son-in-law during the sentencing, telling him that “I know that you would never intentionally hurt her,” the AP reported.

“I believe this is a tragic accident,” Dennis’ mother-in-law said, before adding: “Your temper is your downfall and needs to be addressed.”

Dennis and Hoskins share two children together, according to the AP. Dennis was a two-time world champion cyclist and won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, as well as a bronze medal at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Hoskins also competed in both Olympic games and won a team world title in 2015.

Hoskins died after Dennis ran her over with his car after driving almost 250 feet with his wife laying on the hood of the car, attempting to continue an argument they were having over the home renovations, ABC reported.

Judge Press said in court Wednesday that the couple had agreed Dennis would leave if they were having an argument so that they could both calm down. However, Hoskins chased after him this time.

Dennis ultimately slowed down and Hoskins got off the hood of the car and went around to the side, opening the door while the car was still moving, according to ABC. The husband then shut the door and accelerated the car in “what appears to be an attempt to drive away from her,” Judge Press said.

“You did so in circumstances in which Ms. [Hoskins] was very close to the car and you knew that,” the judge told Dennis, adding that the decision to continue driving created “a risk of her being harmed, and you knew that but continued to drive anyway.”

Dennis immediately got out of the car and attended to Hoskins after realizing he had run her over, the judge added. The father of two also cooperated with police, according to ABC, who reported the Hoskins family voiced intentions to keep Dennis in their lives despite the incident.

“It’s now time for us to move on, which would be Melissa’s expectations of us,” Hoskins’ father Peter Hoskins said during the sentencing, according to the outlet. “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.”