The spouse of ex-Olympian cyclist Melissa Hoskins appeared in court for the initial time, accused of hitting her with his vehicle and resulting in her death.

In January, former cycling world champion Rohan Dennis was taken into custody and accused of causing a death while driving dangerously, driving without proper care, and risking someone’s life.

Authorities claim that on December 30th, in front of their residence in Medindie, a suburb in Adelaide’s inner north, Dennis intentionally hit a 32-year-old woman who is a mother of two with his vehicle.

Hoskins was transferred to Royal Adelaide Hospital, however, he passed away later that night.

On Wednesday, Dennis stood in the dock and remained silent in the Adelaide Magistrates Court during the proceedings.

• Subscribe to Guardian Australia’s free email newsletters for a daily summary of the latest news.

The magistrate, Simon Smart, approved a request from prosecutors for a five-month adjournment until his next appearance to allow police to complete a major crash reconstruction.

Jessica Kurtzer, his attorney, was able to successfully request a change in his bail to eliminate the need for reporting.

The cycling community in Australia was devastated by the announcement of Hoskins’ passing.

“At the 2015 world championships, Melissa won a gold medal in the team pursuit, which she described as the peak of her career. However, for the rest of us, it was simply a joy to have her as a part of our team,” stated Marne Fechner, CEO of AusCycling, when reflecting on the event.

Even though she officially left the sport in 2017, her impact as a former member is still recognized and valued by those in the cycling and riding world.

In both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, Hoskins participated in track events as part of the team pursuit. She was also a member of the team that achieved victory in the team pursuit and secured the world title in 2015.

She was buried in her birthplace of Perth, and a commemorative ceremony was hosted in Adelaide in February, marking what would have been her 33rd birthday.

Dennis was present at both events.

In August, he will have to return to court where prosecutors will finalize the charges that they will be pursuing against him.

If found guilty, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Source: theguardian.com