- Dennis, 34, appeared in the South African District Court on Friday.
- His wife Melissa Hoskins was hit by the car he was driving.
Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis formally pleaded guilty to a charge related to the accident that caused the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins.
Dennis, 34, was arrested after Hoskins, 32, was hit by his vehicle outside her home in Medindie, in Adelaide's inner north, on December 30, 2023.
Mrs Hoskins suffered serious injuries in the crash and was taken by paramedics to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she died.
In a plea in South Africa's District Court on Friday, prosecutor Stephanie Moore said that while no victim impact statements would be presented to the court at the arraignment, “I can indicate that there will be some forthcoming.”
“However, we still have to determine the wishes of the people who provided those statements, who will read them and whether they will be read aloud in court,” he said.
In December 2024, Dennis appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to answer charges of dangerous driving causing death and an aggravated charge of driving without due care.
Rohan Dennis appears outside the Adelaide court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of creating a likelihood of harm.
The charge relates to the December 2023 death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins (pictured together), who was killed by a car she was driving outside their home.
But prosecutors dropped those charges and replaced them with an aggravated charge of creating a likelihood of harm.
At that hearing, Dennis' lawyer, Jane Abbey KC, said the basis for the new charge was recklessness.
“So Mr. Dennis had no intention of harming his wife and this charge places no responsibility on him for her death,” he said.
Magistrate Justin Wickens told Dennis he had driven when his wife was in or near his vehicle, knowing it was likely to cause harm or recklessly indifferent to whether harm was caused.
It was an aggravated crime because they were in a relationship.
It carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and five years of loss of driving license.
Dennis (pictured with Hoskins) has not been charged with any responsibility for her death.
On Friday, Judge Ian Press adjourned the matter until April 14, when sentencing submissions and victim impact statements will be heard.
Ms Hoskins competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games on the track in team pursuit and was on the team that won the 2015 world title.
Dennis won two world titles in the road time trial, as well as silver in the team pursuit at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in the road time trial at the Tokyo Olympics.
He became the seventh Australian to wear the yellow jersey as race leader in the Tour de France by winning the inaugural time trial in 2015, setting a race record for his average speed.
He also won the 2015 Tour Down Under in South Australia.
Ms Hoskins was buried in her hometown of Perth and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February. Dennis attended the service with his two children.