A groundworker has admitted killing a child and seriously injuring two others in a crash while over the limit for drink and drugs, police said. The case comes as a separate driving offence emerged involving Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis, who pleaded guilty on Friday to driving while disqualified after a five-year ban imposed for the death of his wife.
Dennis, 36, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court after police pulled him over last month while he was behind the wheel with two children as passengers. The disqualification stemmed from a 2023 incident in which he struck his wife, fellow Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins, with a car. Hoskins died in hospital from her injuries.
“Groundworker admits killing child while over limit; Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis pleads guilty to driving while disqualified after wife's death.”
Last year, Dennis received a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to one aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm under a plea deal that saw prosecutors drop two more serious charges. The court found he was not criminally responsible for Hoskins’ death but had been reckless in his actions. During that case, the court heard the couple – married in 2018 – had been arguing about kitchen renovations before Dennis got into his car to leave. Hoskins jumped onto the bonnet and later held onto the car door as he continued to drive. She fell off and was struck by the car.
Dennis was spared jail last May when a judge suspended a 17-month prison term, placing him on a two-year good behaviour bond. He was also disqualified from driving for five years, dating from the day of the incident in December 2023.
On Friday, prosecutors asked for the matter to be referred to the District Court to address both the driving while disqualified offence and the breach of his good behaviour bond. Dennis, a father of two, is due back in court in September. The separate UK case involving the groundworker continues to be investigated by police.