Umar Hussein Alkhalifa Al Enizi denis murdering Troy Vandenberg, 25, in horrific fatal road rage confrontation

A man wearing only his underwear hurled a hammer at another man’s windscreen in an “unhinged and terrifying” road rage act that a jury has been told led to his alleged murder. Umar Hussein Alkhalifa Al Enizi is accused of deliberately hitting and killing Troy Vandenberg, 25, with his white Audi south of Brisbane more than four years ago. Multiple witnesses are scheduled to give evidence at Mr Al Enizi’s Supreme Court trial of the alleged events leading up to the fatal confrontation – which a jury was told occurred just “metres” from his home in Browns Plains. On the first day of his trial on Monday, Mr Al Enizi pleaded not guilty to a single charge of murder. In her opening to the jury, crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said the trial was about “why” Mr Vandenberg was struck by the defendant. “The Crown says it was an intentional act by the defendant, wanting to do some serious harm to Troy Vandenberg,” Ms O’Rourke said. The jury was told they would hear evidence about the events which began around 2.30pm on September 17, 2021 near the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Portions of their interactions were captured on CCTV, they were told. Ms O’Rourke said “something happened” between the pair – who were complete strangers – which frustrated Mr Vandenberg. “Whatever it was that happened, it caused Mr Vandenberg to get out of his car, when the traffic was stopped, and approach the defendant’s car,” she said. Ms O’Rourke said evidence would be given Mr Vandenberg was only clad in his underwear on the day and was seen hitting Mr Al Enizi’s car. The pair began to throw punches, none of which were seen by witnesses to connect. “The men separate and then go back to their cars,” she said. The jury was told they would hear evidence Mr Vandenberg was seen throwing something from his boot, before leaving first. The pair were total strangers but lived close to each other in the neighbouring suburbs of Browns Plains and Marsden, Ms O’Rourke said. “The two men ended up driving the same direction home,” Ms O’Rourke said. “At various points, they were captured on CCTV. “For the first part of the drive, the defendant was travelling behind Mr Vandenberg, but at some point, their positions change.” The jury was told they would hear evidence about Mr Vandenberg phoning his mother on the drive home, believing he was being followed. Ms O’Rourke said the pair would end up at an estate, by which point Mr Vandenberg was following Mr Al Enizi through the streets. She said the defendant called for a resident to call police before driving off. Ms O’Rourke said it would be alleged the “penultimate” interaction occurred at an intersection along Wembley Rd, close to where Mr Vandenberg lived. “This interaction is caught on footage, and it’s witnessed by a few people,” she said. The court was told one witness allegedly saw a male – whom Ms O’Rourke said was Mr Vandenberg – kick Mr Al Enizi’s white Audi. Ms O’Rourke said evidence would be given that Mr Al Enizi used his car to hit Mr Vandenberg at the intersection. A nearby bus fitted with CCTV allegedly captured Mr Vandenberg being thrown into the air. Ms O’Rourke said the dispute the jury needed to determine was around “why” – including Mr Al Enizi’s intention at the time. “The Crown says the defendant deliberately struck Troy Vandenberg intending, in the context of the background, to do Mr Vandenberg at least some grievous bodily harm,” she said. Barrister Saul Holt KC, representing Mr Al Enizi, said there was no dispute Mr Al Enizi swerved his car into Mr Vandenberg in a “split second”. “That happened as Troy Vandenberg ran out from the other side of Wembley Rd, on a path to intercept Mr Al Enizi’s car as it was driving through, and … threw a hammer at full force towards the windscreen,” Mr Holt said. Mr Holt said a critical issue the jury would need to consider would be Mr Al Enizi’s intention at the time he swerved his car – telling the jury it was an “instinctive act” done in sheer panic, rather than an intentional act. He asked them to listen carefully to the evidence surrounding this hammer throw. “There is an important, sad, overriding fact you will have to listen out for,” Mr Holt said. “Troy Vandenberg, who tragically died on this day, was aggressive, unhinged and terrifying. And you will see that play out in the evidence.” He said evidence would be given Mr Vandenberg told his mother over the phone that “some black, curry-munching c**t” had cut him off in traffic. The trial continues.