Two American students were allegedly detained in Denmark for 2 weeks after Uber driver fight
Two American college students traveling to spring break were arrested and charged with assault in Copenhagen and were held in a Danish prison for two weeks after an alleged dispute with Uber driver.
Owen Ray, a 19-year-old student at the University of Miami, Ohio, was detained at Copenhagen Airport on April 1 on suspicion of a dispute with an Uber driver, who had a dispute with an Uber driver the night before.
Ray's family said on Monday that their son and his friend were finally released after being detained for two weeks, but Ray's family claimed that Danish authorities had picked up their passports so they had to stay in Denmark.
“Irving has been released from a Danish prison after we and his friends suffered an unprovoked attack on the hands of Uber drivers on March 31,” his parents Andy Ray and Sara Buchen-Ray said in a statement to the exit.
“The facts clearly show that in this case, Irving is the victim and we urge Danish officials to allow him to return to the United States without delay.”
Ray's lawyers claimed that Ray and an unnamed friend realized on March 31 that he had entered the wrong address in the app's destination. The driver allegedly refused to take them anywhere else.
The lawyer said Ray, his friend and Uber driver were all out of the car, and this was the time for the attorney to have a suspected dispute based on Ray's description of the incident.
Phelver said Ray told him that the driver kicked him in the groin and in response, Ray pushed him away and the driver fell. Phelver said Ray and his friends then fled the driver.
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The day after the alleged quarrel, two students were later arrested at Copenhagen Airport. Phelver said local police believed the couple was “flying risk” and claimed they were planning to escape the incident.
A Copenhagen police spokesman told multiple media that two students were charged with a joint assault.
The spokesman added: “They were sentenced to 10 days of pretrial detention. The verdict has since been extended to April 24.”
Ray's parents said their son and his friend “have done nothing to trigger the attack.”
“We urge the Danish authorities to acknowledge Irving's innocence and release him immediately,” they said. “Our family is heartbroken and we hope our son will celebrate Easter with us this week.”
The U.S. State Department said in a statement Monday that according to WLS, a Chicago-based ABC affiliate, it has been aware of the situation and provides consular assistance to citizens.
A spokesman for the department told NBC News that citizens' safety is a priority, but no comments are made out of respect for their privacy.
On Monday, Ray told Denmark Good morning USA He and his friends have been freed from custody.
“I feel good. I'm glad the High Court is in our favor today and allows us to be released from prison,” Ray said. “It feels good to be with my family.”
Recalling the incident on March 31, Ray said he walked “a few blocks” with his friends, when Uber drivers allegedly drove to find them.
“He found us. Then, he got out of the car and started yelling at us, thinking he wasn't paying Uber, but he was actually paying Uber.” “Then, he reached into our face and said, 'I'm going to call 10 guys.' We said, “We did nothing wrong.” “Then he started arguing with us.”
A Uber spokesperson told Good morning USA The driver reported to Uber that he was attacked by two riders. ”
“We both were very shocked by the fact that this incident was arrested,” Ray said. “We did nothing wrong. We were victims of the attack.”
Ray described the situation of the Danish prison where he was detained for two weeks.
“We both were in a bunk bed in a very small prison cell. We spent 23 hours a day in the cell. We had an hour of yard time every day. We were allowed to make a call a week.”
Ray added that he is not entirely sure about the current situation of his legal case, claiming that the Danish legal system is “not clear yet about what is going on.”
“As far as I know, we are still waiting for the investigation police decision not to file a case or set a trial date,” he added.
Ray and his friends want to remain anonymous and must report to the police every day until a court hearing originally scheduled for April 24.
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