American college students on spring break released from jail after alleged dispute with Uber driver
Two U.S. college students have been released from jail in Denmark after an alleged altercation with an Uber driver while the pair were traveling for spring break.
Two American college students have been released after spending two weeks in a Denmark jail over an alleged Uber dispute while traveling for spring break.
Owen Ray, 19, and an unnamed friend, both U.S. citizens, were traveling when the pair were detained at Copenhagen Airport on April 1, according to Ray’s family.
The two friends were charged with common assault following a dispute with an Uber driver, Copenhagen police confirmed to Fox News Digital. Ray and his friend were sentenced to 10 days of pre-trial detention, which had been extended to April 24.
On Monday, Ray and his friend were released from a Danish prison following their arrests earlier this month.
"We are relieved that Owen has been released from a Danish prison following the unprovoked assault he and his friend suffered at the hands of an Uber driver on March 31," a family spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
However, Danish authorities have maintained possession of the two friends' passports, according to Ray's family.
"We remain deeply concerned that Danish authorities have confiscated his passport and will not allow him to return to the United States – something we understand is unusual in Danish court proceedings," Ray's family said in a statement. "The facts make clear that Owen is the victim in this case, and we urge Danish officials to allow him to return home to the United States without delay."
Danish authorities did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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Ray, a student at Miami University in Ohio, had been studying abroad and was visiting Denmark while on spring break. On March 31, Ray and his friend were in an Uber when Ray reportedly entered the wrong address in the Uber app and asked the driver if he and his friend could exit the vehicle, his mother, Sara Buchen-Ray, told FOX 32 Chicago.
The situation quickly escalated, with the Uber driver threatening to call the police and kicking Ray in the groin, according to Buchen-Ray. Ray reportedly pushed the Uber driver to the ground, and the pair escaped.
"They went back to the hotel," Buchen-Ray said. "They had flights to leave that next morning, so they cleaned up at the hotel."
The next day, the two students were arrested by local police upon arriving at Copenhagen Airport to return home.
"Our family is heartbroken, and we want our son home to celebrate Easter with us this week," a family spokesperson said in a previous statement.
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Later that day, the two students appeared in court and were charged with common assault, Copenhagen police confirmed to Fox News Digital. Ray and his friend were sentenced to 10 days of pre-trial detention, which was previously extended to April 24.
"We are aware of media reports of two U.S. citizens detained in Denmark," the U.S. State Department said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Staff at our embassy in Copenhagen are providing consular assistance. The Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad."
Ray’s Denmark-based attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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"The safety of everyone who uses the Uber app is a top priority, and we take reports of violence very seriously," Uber said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The driver reported to Uber that he was assaulted by two riders who were later arrested by Danish police."
Miami University in Ohio did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.
