They were in prison for almost two weeks.
Two young American men are being held in Copenhagen after being charged with assault following a dispute with an Uber driver. Police have confiscated their passports until their case hearing.
Owen Ray, a 19-year-old student at Miami University in Ohio, was in Copenhagen for spring break. He and his friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, were arrested at Copenhagen Airport due to an altercation with an Uber driver. Ray said he was shocked by the arrest and maintained their innocence.
Ray claimed that he and his friend hailed an Uber at 2 a.m. on March 31 and later realized they had entered the wrong destination. Unable to change the address in the app, and with the driver refusing to drive them to the updated location, they canceled the ride and exited the vehicle. As they walked a few blocks, the driver pulled up and began yelling at them. He reportedly believed they hadn’t paid for the ride, while Ray said they had paid a cancellation fee through the app.
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The driver allegedly threatened them, and Ray told Good Morning America, “He then got in our faces and was saying, ‘I’m gonna call 10 guys.’”
The pair fled in fear, according to a public relations manager representing Ray’s family.
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Later that day, as they were preparing to fly back to the U.S., they were arrested at the airport and charged with common assault. They expected to explain the situation to a judge and be released, but were instead detained for 10 days. Ray was unable to contact his family for 36 hours but eventually texted his mother, who then flew to Denmark. “I was very relieved to have heard that she was able to do that, and thankful that she was able to,” he said.
Ray and his friend supported each other in detention and tried to stay positive. Police had requested to extend their detention to April 24, but Ray’s attorney in Copenhagen appealed, and they were released on April 14.
Ray’s family issued a statement after his release, expressing relief and calling the event an “unprovoked assault.” “However, 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. 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.”
A family spokesperson said the incident was recorded on the driver’s dash cam and is part of the ongoing investigation.
Police told NBC News that the students were arrested on March 31 and appeared in court the same day. They were charged with common assault. “They were sentenced to 10 days pre-trial detention. They were released on Monday but are required to report daily until the court hearing.”
Uber told CNN that the driver reported the students assaulted him after fighting with each other in the back seat. The driver called the police. “The safety of everyone who uses the Uber app is a top priority, and we take reports of violence very seriously.” According to the company, the ride had been paid for.
The students’ hearing is scheduled for April 24. Authorities are holding their passports, citing them as flight risks. Attorney Stephen Komie told NBC that Denmark has no bail system, increasing concern that the pair would not return if charges are formally filed.
The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen confirmed it is aware of the incident and is providing consular services. “The Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad,” it said.
