Current Olympian Melissa Hoskins husband charged with her death

[Kurve]

Professional road racing cyclist Rohan Dennis has been charged with causing the death of his wife, Olympian Melissa Hoskins — after a crash that occurred in Adelaide's inner north on Saturday.

Rohan Dennis, a professional cycler, was arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life — he was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in March.

A list of Melissa's achievements online state that the West Australian competed in the 2012 London Olympics in the women's cycling Team Pursuit and also in the 2016 Rio Olympics..

Ms Hoskins also competed in several national track championships and UCI Track Cycling World Championships.

33-year-old Rohan Dennis' online achievements state that he has competed in several Grand Tour competitions including Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana.

The pro cyclist has also won several medals representing Australia, winning a silver for a Team Pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze for a time trial at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Husband charged over crash that killed Olympian wife Melissa Hoskins in Adelaide

Professional cyclist Rohan Dennis has been charged with causing the death of his wife, Olympian Melissa Hoskins after a crash in Adelaide's north on Saturday night.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Awakening]

I saw this and wondered what had happened.

Was she on her bike and he accidentally hit her but was driving under the influence or carelessly?

Or was she not on her bike but in the car with him? Or did he run her down deliberately in an act of domestic violence?

 

[Kurve]

I saw this and wondered what had happened.

Was she on her bike and he accidentally hit her but was driving under the influence or carelessly?

Or was she not on her bike but in the car with him? Or did he run her down deliberately in an act of domestic violence?

I think he hit her with his car and she was on foot, or that's what I'm seeing over social media.

The charges might be upgraded yet.

 

[Kurve]

I saw this and wondered what had happened.

Was she on her bike and he accidentally hit her but was driving under the influence or carelessly?

Or was she not on her bike but in the car with him? Or did he run her down deliberately in an act of domestic violence?

He could still get ten years on the current charges.

 

[owen87]

I saw this and wondered what had happened.

Was she on her bike and he accidentally hit her but was driving under the influence or carelessly?

Or was she not on her bike but in the car with him? Or did he run her down deliberately in an act of domestic violence?

From what little has been released and the charges I’d suspect that it was deliberate and it’ll be up to how much they can prove as to what he’s eventually charged with.

To have had those charges that quickly tells me they have pretty strong evidence already.

 

[Big_Birdy]

From what little has been released and the charges I’d suspect that it was deliberate and it’ll be up to how much they can prove as to what he’s eventually charged with.

To have had those charges that quickly tells me they have pretty strong evidence already.

The charges actually point to the opposite of it being deliberate.

If they had strong evidence of intent at this stage he would have been charged with murder.

Drugs or alcohol also do not appear to be at play (assuming the reporting is correct) as if they were, or at least with alcohol, he was 0.08 or over, then it would be an aggravated offence. Interesting though I haven’t seen it reported as aggravated driving without due care, given she passed away and I am pretty sure that is an aggravating factor for that charge. Hence I am not 100% on the accuracy of the reports.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

The charges actually point to the opposite of it being deliberate.

If they had strong evidence of intent at this stage he would have been charged with murder.

Drugs or alcohol also do not appear to be at play (assuming the reporting is correct) as if they were, or at least with alcohol, he was 0.08 or over, then it would be an aggravated offence. Interesting though I haven’t seen it reported as aggravated driving without due care, given she passed away and I am pretty sure that is an aggravating factor for that charge. Hence I am not 100% on the accuracy of the reports.

Also, he wouldn't be out on bail if they had strong evidence it was deliberate.

Just awful news.

 

[Kurve]

The charges actually point to the opposite of it being deliberate.

If they had strong evidence of intent at this stage he would have been charged with murder.

Drugs or alcohol also do not appear to be at play (assuming the reporting is correct) as if they were, or at least with alcohol, he was 0.08 or over, then it would be an aggravated offence. Interesting though I haven’t seen it reported as aggravated driving without due care, given she passed away and I am pretty sure that is an aggravating factor for that charge. Hence I am not 100% on the accuracy of the reports.

This won't help him.

Whether Rohan Dennis wins the world time trial championship in Richmond on Wednesday or not, he says his admittedly short fuse will have helped him across the line.

The 25-year-old Australian has enjoyed a dream season in 2015, with overall victories at the Santos Tour Down Under and the USA Pro Challenge, a time trial stage win at the Tour de France, a stint as the world Hour Record holder, and team time trial wins at the Tour and world championships.

Yet for all that success, Dennis is also known for his temper. It came up at the USA Pro Challenge in August, where Dennis dominated by winning two of seven stages and finishing second on two others. After winning the opening stage, his BMC Racing teammate Taylor Phinney -- who took up painting during his yearlong recovery from injury -- referred to Dennis as a "temperamental artist type, a creature of inspiration."

"I have been known to sort of have a short fuse," Dennis says, "and I think cycling is the way I let that anger out. That's how I vent."

VeloNews: Rohan Dennis channeling anger at worlds

Rohan Dennis is known to have one of the shortest fuses in the peloton, which has helped drive a successful season Dennis hopes to cap with an individual world time trial championship.

www.espn.com.au

 

[Big_Birdy]

This won't help him.

Whether Rohan Dennis wins the world time trial championship in Richmond on Wednesday or not, he says his admittedly short fuse will have helped him across the line.

The 25-year-old Australian has enjoyed a dream season in 2015, with overall victories at the Santos Tour Down Under and the USA Pro Challenge, a time trial stage win at the Tour de France, a stint as the world Hour Record holder, and team time trial wins at the Tour and world championships.

Yet for all that success, Dennis is also known for his temper. It came up at the USA Pro Challenge in August, where Dennis dominated by winning two of seven stages and finishing second on two others. After winning the opening stage, his BMC Racing teammate Taylor Phinney -- who took up painting during his yearlong recovery from injury -- referred to Dennis as a "temperamental artist type, a creature of inspiration."

"I have been known to sort of have a short fuse," Dennis says, "and I think cycling is the way I let that anger out. That's how I vent."

VeloNews: Rohan Dennis channeling anger at worlds

Rohan Dennis is known to have one of the shortest fuses in the peloton, which has helped drive a successful season Dennis hopes to cap with an individual world time trial championship.

www.espn.com.au

I don’t know what happened, it’s still possible it wasn’t simply an accident (although there isn’t anything to point to that at this stage), but that’s a very long bow.

 

[Kurve]

I don’t know what happened, it’s still possible it wasn’t simply an accident (although there isn’t anything to point to that at this stage), but that’s a very long bow.

That he's known for having a short fuse will be examined, I'm sure. That short fuse will extend to questions of possible DV and patterns of coercive control among Melissa's friends and family to try and get a full picture of their relationship.

 

[Big_Birdy]

That he's known for having a short fuse will be examined, I'm sure. That short fuse will extend to questions of possible DV and patterns of coercive control among Melissa's friends and family to try and get a full picture of their relationship.

Anything is possible but those are big leaps from what is known, which is very little.

It’s also a very big leap from “has a short fuse” in the context of a highly stressful professional sporting environment to intentionally killing his wife and mother of his children.

 

[Kurve]

Anything is possible but those are big leaps from what is known, which is very little.

It’s also a very big leap from “has a short fuse” in the context of a highly stressful professional sporting environment to intentionally killing his wife and mother of his children.

He has charges of dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life. Why was he driving like an idiot? Or is is he a regular dangerous idiot driver? Maybe he lost his temper.

 

[Awakening]

He has charges of dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life. Why was he driving like an idiot? Or is is he a regular dangerous idiot driver? Maybe he lost his temper.

I agree. The charges are he was driving dangerously and yet not affected by drugs or alcohol, which is probably the most common cause of driving like an idiot. The other cause that comes to mind is anger/road rage.

 

[Big_Birdy]

He has charges of dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life. Why was he driving like an idiot? Or is is he a regular dangerous idiot driver? Maybe he lost his temper.

You don’t need to be driving like an “idiot”(in the context you mean) to be charged with Death by Dangerous Driving. People in SA have been found guilty of that offence by missing a stop sign for example.

I stress I don’t know what has occurred. There could be far more to it. But given who they were, a cycling training accident seems possible. Possibly she was riding holding onto the vehicle or some such. They do this, although they shouldn’t. Being involved with that at least on its face is plausible to meet the elements of all offences he has been charged with (of which he has been charged probably because the lesser charges are not alternate verdicts for the top charge).

 

[insanity]

I read this and initially assumed she was on a bike but from rereading it appears not. It's so horrific and I very much feel for their children who are so young. My husband, who is an ex police officer, tells me that from his reading of the charges it was deliberate. I guess more will come out over time.

 

[Drummond]

None of this makes any sense. Messed up.

 

[geoffjennings79]

You don’t need to be driving like an “idiot”(in the context you mean) to be charged with Death by Dangerous Driving. People in SA have been found guilty of that offence by missing a stop sign for example.

I stress I don’t know what has occurred. There could be far more to it. But given who they were, a cycling training accident seems possible. Possibly she was riding holding onto the vehicle or some such. They do this, although they shouldn’t. Being involved with that at least on its face is plausible to meet the elements of all offences he has been charged with (of which he has been charged probably because the lesser charges are not alternate verdicts for the top charge).

Police confirmed she was not on a bike when the incident occurred.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Police confirmed she was not on a bike when the incident occurred.

Channel 7 suggested she jumped on the car bonnet to try & stop him from leaving.

 

[Drummond]

Channel 7 suggested she jumped on the car bonnet to try & stop him from leaving.

Okay now that makes sense. She jumps on car bonnet (hardly seems like a good idea but let’s not go there), he reverses quickly, she falls off and the rest is history. You’d think an argument, not just joking around trying to get him to stay.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Okay now that makes sense. She jumps on car bonnet (hardly seems like a good idea but let’s not go there), he reverses quickly, she falls off and the rest is history. You’d think an argument, not just joking around trying to get him to stay.

Was once in a car where the driver’s wife (who had mental health concerns) jumped on the car to stop it leaving.

The sensible thing to do obviously is to stop given how dangerous it is, but can at least understand the impulse not to.

Obviously we’ll learn more but I’ve noticed a lot of DV campaigners jumping on this one because the press are being delicate with their language. This might just be a heat-of-the-moment (possibly jailable) bad decision on his part.

 

[Awakening]

I guess the truth will come out in time.

I was scouring social media and so many conflicting rumours.

Interestingly, even the ones saying it was an accident describe him as not a nice guy with mental health problems but that he wouldnt deliberately hurt his wife.

Others say she had broken up with him, but he persuaded her to wait until after Christmas Day for the sake of the kids and she agreed.

He thought he’d convince her to stay but she still insisted on the break up and fight ensued.

Of course take it with a grain of salt, I scoured the depths of social media to find these rumours so you didn’t have to.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I guess the truth will come out in time.

I was scouring social media and so many conflicting rumours.

Interestingly, even the ones saying it was an accident describe him as not a nice guy with mental health problems but that he wouldnt deliberately hurt his wife.

Others say she had broken up with him, but he persuaded her to wait until after Christmas Day for the sake of the kids and she agreed.

He thought he’d convince her to stay but she still insisted on the break up and fight ensued.

Of course take it with a grain of salt, I scoured the depths of social media to find these rumours so you didn’t have to.

Hope for the sake of the kids it turns out to be a really horrible accident & not deliberate.

 

[owen87]

a lot of DV campaigners

This reads totally different when you’re used to the swear filter changing a certain word to campaigners… took me a moment to realise!

 

[CD Xbow]

I guess the truth will come out in time.

I was scouring social media and so many conflicting rumours.

Interestingly, even the ones saying it was an accident describe him as not a nice guy with mental health problems but that he wouldnt deliberately hurt his wife.

Others say she had broken up with him, but he persuaded her to wait until after Christmas Day for the sake of the kids and she agreed.

He thought he’d convince her to stay but she still insisted on the break up and fight ensued.

Of course take it with a grain of salt, I scoured the depths of social media to find these rumours so you didn’t have to.

I truly appreciate your sacrifice. Down these means streets etc.
While the means was novel, it sounds like it's the same old story.

 

[Truckosaurus]

The news.com.au report says she may have been dragged some distance. Doesn't sound like she fell off when he reversed, more like he was trying to shake her off and she got caught under when she lost her grip.