Two U.S. Students Jailed in Denmark After Uber Dispute Sparks International Tension

Two American college students were held in a Danish prison for two weeks following a spring break trip gone awry, after an alleged altercation with an Uber driver in Copenhagen led to assault charges.
Owen Ray, 19, a student at Miami University of Ohio, and his unnamed friend were detained on April 1 at Copenhagen Airport as they attempted to fly home. According to Ray’s attorney, Jordan Finfer, the arrest stemmed from a misunderstanding with a rideshare driver the night before — an incident the family describes as a case of self-defense.
Ray’s parents, Andy Ray and Sara Buchen-Ray, say their son and his friend were victims, not aggressors, in the March 31 incident. “The facts make clear that Owen is the victim in this case,” they said in a public statement, “and we urge Danish officials to allow him to return home to the United States without delay.”
Finfer claims the conflict began when Ray and his friend realized they had input the wrong destination into the Uber app. When they asked the driver to change course, he allegedly refused. The three exited the vehicle, and that’s when the situation escalated. According to Ray’s account, the driver physically assaulted him, including a kick to the groin. In response, Ray reportedly pushed the driver away, causing him to fall. The students then fled the scene.
They were arrested the next day while boarding their flight home, with Copenhagen police citing them as flight risks. Both students were charged with common assault and sentenced to ten days of pre-trial detention, later extended through April 24.
Ray’s family maintains that the incident was unprovoked and is calling for Danish authorities to acknowledge the context and release their son. “Our family is heartbroken,” they said. “We want our son home to celebrate Easter with us.”
Though the students have now been released from custody, their passports were confiscated by Danish authorities, requiring them to remain in Denmark until further notice.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it is providing consular assistance but declined to comment further, citing privacy concerns. The case has raised questions about how Americans are treated abroad and whether cultural misunderstandings are being fairly adjudicated in international legal systems.