Wild 30-min road rage sparked deadly hit-run which killed man at Browns Plains

Homicide detectives say a 30-minute road rage across Brisbane led to a deadly hit-run that killed a 25-year-old man, traumatised witnesses and ended with a young suspect on the run.

A 20-year-old man is in custody after he allegedly intentionally struck and killed another man during a prolonged road rage incident in Logan yesterday.

Police today confirmed the fatal hit and run in Browns Plains yesterday afternoon is being treated as a homicide, sparked by what they believe was a 30-minute road rage event spanning across Brisbane’s inner north to Logan, south of Brisbane.

A 25-year-old Browns Plains man was killed in a hit-and-run that left witnesses traumatised, saying they had ‘never seen anything so horrific’.

Paramedics assessed eight patients at the scene on Wembley Rd and Greenfern Drive, Browns Plains at 3pm with the 25-year-old declared dead at the scene while seven others were treated for shock.

Police at the scene of the deadly hit run. (Image/Josh Woning)

Queensland Police Regional Crime Coordinator for the South East region, Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said preliminary work by police indicates the incident started in Everton Hills before 3pm yesterday.

“Initial investigations indicate this is perhaps what we refer to as a rolling road rage incident,” he said.

“The two vehicles and their occupants had been interacting with each other for a period of half an hour. We suspect that this has occurred in suburbs in between Everton Hills and where the incident has occurred at Wembley Rd at Browns Plains.”

Police say the deceased man was driving a blue Toyota, while the other man was driving a white Audi at the time of the incident.

Detectives located the Audi at an address in Marsden on Friday and the 20-year-old man was located at a home in Loganlea at about 2pm on Saturday.

He remains in custody and no charges have yet been laid.

Police believe there is no indication the two men knew each other prior to the road rage incident, however said they would continue multiple lines of inquiry.

Emergency services pictured at a road incident on the intersection of Wembley Rd and Greenfern Drive, Browns Plains. Image/Josh Woning

He said the incident could have easily been avoided.

“What we have at the moment over something that looks like a road rage incident, is a 25-year-old male that has died - we (also) have his family who now have to grieve for the rest of their lives. We have the driver, who we suspect is a 20-year-old male - who quite possibly could face a lengthy time in imprisonment, (and) his family will be affected by that,” he said.

“But there’s also several witnesses who observed this. These people are just members of our community who are out there living a lawful life, going about their business. And they have to witness this. This will impact them for the rest of their life.”

Det Insp Dalton urged the public to “take a breath, think about it, relax and drive the other way,” if they find themselves in a frustrating situation on Queensland’s roads.

“It can go from someone getting cut off - or something innocuous like that - to someone dying and a homicide investigation very quickly.”

Police are urging anyone who witnessed dangerous driving between the two vehicles, or anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage to immediately come forward by calling Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Wembley Rd and Greenfern Drive were closed off in both directions for several hours.

Witness Mick Columbus said he had ‘never seen anything so horrific’.

‘I was on my way back to my depot when I saw this all happen,” he posted on Facebook.

“I wish to God I was just a few minutes later so I didn’t see what I saw and have it running through my head right now.

“I honestly have never seen anything so horrific.”

Mr Columbus believes he saw a man run out on to the road before being hit by a car.

“I don’t know who you were or what the issue was with you and the person in that car, but what I do know is that you certainly didn’t deserve to die like that,” he wrote.

“If only you just had of thought for a moment to just let whatever the issue was go before you went running out on to that road, you’d still be here instead of where you are right now, but I guess it was something that you thought couldn’t be let go.

“I’m very sorry this happened to you and to the family who is missing you right now.

“The memory of how you died today is still going to be something that will stay in my mind for a good while as well as for those around me who saw it to (sic). RIP’.

Emergency services pictured at a road incident on the intersection of Wembley Road and Greenfern Drive, Browns Plains. Image: Josh Woning

The incident came on the same day Queensland Police lamented the state was “losing the battle” to curb road fatalities as hundreds of motorists hit the highways for the school holidays.

The Browns Plains tragedy pushed the number of deaths on Queensland roads to 200, which includes 50 motorcyclists, which was almost double the number of riders killed at the same time last year.

“I’m willing to predict that the next time I speak to you we will have ticked over to 200,” Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus said on Friday just hours before the hit and run.

Road safety blitz Operation Spring Break also started yesterday and will be in effect until October 8.

It will involve police conducting increased overt and covert operations on all major roadways and black spot regions.

Assistant Commissioner Marcus said these included the Wide Bay Burnett, Sunshine Coast, south West Queensland regions and the area south of the Brisbane river which was a “particular problem” for police.

He said gone were the “Holden and Ford” days and motorists could expect to see unmarked police driving any type of vehicle.

“We want motorists to know that they can expect to see us anywhere, anytime and they should drive accordingly,” he said.