DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Two Americans, including a student from Miami University in Ohio, have been detained in Denmark after an alleged assault following an Uber ride.
According to a statement from a communications consultant for Copenhagen Police in Denmark, the two U.S. citizens were detained in the country’s capital on March 31. The two were taken to court the same day and charged with assault, according to police.
One of the citizens involved has been identified as Owen Ray. Nexstar’s NewsNation heard from a family lawyer for Ray, who claims neither Owen nor the other individual, who does not want to be identified, has been charged.
Owen Ray’s mother, Sara Buchen-Ray, told NewsNation that her son and his friend had ordered an Uber while in Copenhagen. After realizing they had requested a ride to the wrong address, they asked their driver to change the destination. The driver allegedly declined.
At some point, they all got out of the car and the driver allegedly threatened to “call 10 guys in” to “take care of” Owen and his friend, Buchen-Ray said. Her son reportedly urged the driver to call the police but instead, the man allegedly kicked Owen “in between the legs.”
Owen’s friend reportedly pushed the driver down and the pair was able to run away. The driver allegedly accused the pair of not paying for the ride.
Owen and his friend were arrested at the airport on April 1 by Danish authorities, who called them a flight risk, NewsNation reported.
A spokesperson for Miami University confirmed to Nexstar’s WDTN that Owen Ray is an undergraduate student at the school. The university learned of the incident “through a media report.”
“His professors have been made aware of his delayed return from his personal trip to Europe,” said the spokesperson.
The police consultant told WDTN that Ray and the other citizen have already been sentenced to a 10-day pre-trial detention, and have a verdict extension date of April 24.
WDTN reached out to the U.S. State Department for additional information but did not immediately receive a response. Buchen-Ray told NewsNation that the department has not reached out to her family.