Australia - Melissa Hoskins, 32, Olympian cyclist, struck & killed by ute, husband Rohan Dennis arrested and charged - Medindie, SA, 30 Dec 2023

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ifindedout

ifindedout

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www.abc.net.au

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 www.abc.net.au
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SA Police said emergency services were called to Avenel Gardens Road in Medindie just after 8pm, following reports that a woman had been hit by a car.

Police said Ms Hoskins suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment, but she died overnight.

Mr Dennis 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.
Click to expand...
Police allege Dennis was driving a ute that struck his wife, former Olympian and professional cyclist Melissa Hoskins, just metres from out the front of their family home in Adelaide.

[...]

Dennis, 33, won gold at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, having won bronze in the men’s individual time trial at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

He announced his retirement earlier this year, thanking Hoskins in his message to fans.

[...]

The pair married in 2018, having celebrated their engagement in 2017.
en.m.wikipedia.org

Melissa Hoskins - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
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MOD NOTE:
Under Australian law, this case is sub judice and the following is not allowed:
  • Anything that may prejudice the accused’s right to a fair trial.
  • Any history of a defendant’s previous offenses.
  • Any suggestions or direct accusations that the accused is either guilty or innocent (i.e. the accused cannot be called "the killer", "the perp"; it has to be "the accused", the "alleged killer" or "the defendant").
  • Scandalizing the court (disparaging judges, lawyers, any officer of the Court) is off limits.
  • Broadcasting anything about proceedings which happen in the jury's absence is off limits.
  • Any non compliance with an Order of the court is off limits.
 
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ifindedout said:
SA Police said emergency services were called to Avenel Gardens Road in Medindie just after 8pm, following reports that a woman had been hit by a car.

Police said Ms Hoskins suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment, but she died overnight.

Mr Dennis 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.

Police allege Dennis was driving a ute that struck his wife, former Olympian and professional cyclist Melissa Hoskins, just metres from out the front of their family home in Adelaide.

[...]

Dennis, 33, won gold at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, having won bronze in the men’s individual time trial at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

He announced his retirement earlier this year, thanking Hoskins in his message to fans.

[...]

The pair married in 2018, having celebrated their engagement in 2017.
Click to expand...

Terrible way to start 2024. The tragic loss of a young mother.

Pretty strange kind of accident. I took a Google walk down that fairly short street. It is a straight road, which then turns right for another straight bit of the street.
Clear visibility, safe footpaths on both sides of the street, quiet and well-to-do neighbourhood, lots of household privacy.

I cannot even begin to imagine the scenario of how Melissa was hit by her husband's ute - especially hit hard enough to sustain deadly injuries.

Google maps

imo
 
discostu said:
A ute has a tray at the back (short for “utility”) so different to an SUV, more like a pick up truck. Most utes would be the same as your picks ups - although usually not as big - but we also have some utes that have a lower sedan style body.
Click to expand...
For those in the US and Canada and who have long memories - a Ute is along the lines of a Ford Ranchero or Chevrolet ElCamino - a Falcon / Fairlane / Gran Torino or Chevelle wagon with a pickup bed in the place where the rear seats and cargo area would be.
 
Police today have said they can provide little further detail about the sequence of events but indicated CCTV could help determine the circumstances.

When asked whether the victim had been on a bike at the time she was hit, Acting Assistant Commissioner Papworth responded: "Not that I'm aware of."

"The matter's still subject to investigation but that's not information that I'm aware of," he said.

Police have appealed to anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

www.abc.net.au

Melissa Hoskins's death has left the cycling world grief-stricken — here's what we know so far

The death of world champion cyclist Melissa Hoskins and the arrest of her husband Rohan Dennis, who has been charged with dangerous driving offences, send shock waves through Australian sporting circles and the broader cycling world.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au
 
<modsnip: sub judice>

From The Advertiser, so paraphrased:

Police will allege Ms Hoskins, jumped onto the car bonnet and then grabbed at a door handle.

Officers will allege Mr Dennis, 33, continued to drive the family vehicle until she fell to the ground.

Police also believe Melissa may have been dragged some distance along the street.

It is believed some of the incident was caught on neighbours’ security cameras.



Not only is it tragic for Melissa’s children and family and friends, it is a very sad day for the Australian Cycling Family… IMO

I am very surprised that bail was granted so quickly … IMO


Paywalled for some:

 
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A vehicle like this I believe … Volkswagon Amaroo V6 Dual Cab
(Often as the second car in the family … a 4WD.. often “his” car in Australia is a Ute … IMO )


IMG_1273.png
 
<modsnip: quoted post was removed>
There is a photo of his ute in this (paywalled) article that Slouth posted.

It is a "dark grey" (looks black to me) 4-door ute ... seats in the back and in the front.

There is an officer kneeling on the road by the driver's door of the ute, doing something. Swabbing or just looking for impact damage along that side? There is another officer holding torch light on the area of the ute at which they are looking.
The front of the vehicle looks unscathed, from what I can see.

 
www.dailymail.co.uk

New details emerge about the death of Olympic cyclist

Ms Hoskins was allegedly struck by a vehicle in Adelaide 's inner-north on Sunday, December 31. She was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital suffering serious injuries, and died hours later.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
World champion cyclist Melissa Hoskins allegedly jumped onto the bonnet of a car and grabbed at a door handle before the vehicle was driven and she fell to the ground, police will allege.

South Australian Police on Sunday arrested her former star cyclist husband Rohan Dennis, 33, over her death, alleging he was behind the wheel of the ute that hit the mother of two outside their $2.45m mansion in the exclusive Adelaide suburb of Medindie.
Red emphasis mine.

<modsnip: sub judice>
:(


Rest in peace, Melissa !
 
BBM

News Corp reports police will allege Ms Hoskins jumped onto the car bonnet and grabbed at a door handle before the vehicle was driven and she fell to the ground.

It is then alleged she may have been dragged along by the vehicle.

www.foxsports.com.au

Sad details of Olympian’s death as star cyclist husband charged

Horrifying new details emerge over Olympian’s death after star cyclist husband charged
www.foxsports.com.au www.foxsports.com.au
 
Rosiebones said:
How do you grab a car door from the bonnet (hood) of a car?
Click to expand...
Jumped on the hood (some articles say 'bonnet', but I think that means the front aka hood ?), and was trying to grab the front door handle while leaning or laying forward ?

Good that there's neighbors' security footage and hopefully it will tell a story.
<modsnip: sub judice>
Omo.
 
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In a News.com article, there is a short video of the scene after the police had left.

It shows the yellow markings on the road, presumably placed there by the crash investigators. And it zooms in on the CCTV camera (which I have circled in red, top left of pic) that likely caught much of what happened.

b.jpg

ETA: There is also a photo, in the article, of fingerprint dust all over the bonnet of the ute. No doubt part of the crash investigation in determining exactly what happened.

 
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