Olympic Cyclist Breaks His Silence Over Wife’s Death After Incident with His Car: ‘Leave My Family Alone’

Rohan Dennis addressed the 2023 incident in a candid Instagram post

Melissa Hoskins and Rohan Dennis.Credit : Melissa Hoskins Instagram

Australian Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis is hitting back at the criticism he’s received following the 2023 death of his wife, Melissa Hoskins.

Dennis, 35, received a 17-month suspended sentence after his wife, fellow Olympic cyclist Hoskins, with whom he shared two young children, was struck and killed by his car during an argument in December 2023.

In an Instagram post shared on Monday, April 6, Dennis addressed the incident, maintaining that it was an accident while claiming that the media had spread a “false narrative” about him.

“This is simply to point out the false narrative which the media created about me for clicks,” began Dennis. “Yes it was an accident. I loved Melissa and the last thing I ever wanted was to hurt her. Never in my life has any physical aggression crossed my mind in any disagreement with Melissa.”

“The narrative which the media ran with was clear they wanted me to look like the husband who abused his wife,” he continued. “I have ALWAYS been against any sort of abuse against women and especially the one who gave birth to my children.”

Rohan Dennis spoke out about criticism over his wife’s death on Instagram, on April 6.RvS.Media/Basile Barbey/Getty; Rohan Dennis/Instagram

Hoskins died after jumping on the hood of Dennis’ car as he attempted to drive away, the BBC, the Associated Press and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) previously reported.

Dennis pleaded guilty to one aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm and was sentenced to one year, four months and 28 days in jail, which was suspended for two years. He’s currently out on a good-behavior bond. He was not held criminally responsible for his wife’s death.

In his post, Dennis alleged that following his wife’s death “so-called journalists” continue to “follow and harass” his family.

“They greeted me and my family at the airport not 24 [hours] after my wife’s funeral,” he claimed. “The things … that were said to me in front of my 2 year old daughter are disgusting! Things such as: How does it feel knowing you killed the mother of your two children, and they’ll never see their mother again?! Are you a murderer?!…This is just one of MANY encounters.”

“…Then there is the clear twisting of any words I use. They know I never intentionally or unintentionally used a vehicle as a weapon,” Dennis continued. “Never was it legally said that I did either. The video footage of the accident also proves this statement.

“Time for all you so called journalists and media outlets to back off and leave my family alone,” he concluded.

Rohan Dennis and his late wife, Melissa Hoskins.Rohan Dennis/Instagram

Dennis’ comments follow controversy stemming from a March Instagram post in which he shared photos of a bike and his Porsche, writing “an absolute weapon.”

The following day, Dennis poked fun at the controversy, posting a photo of his two children riding bikes with the caption, “Two absolute weapons ❤️.” He also posted a surveillance video of reporters from 7NEWS Adelaide asking him about the “weapon” caption.