Both students arrested are U.S. citizens from the Chicago area. Ray was released on April 14 following national media coverage. A spokesperson for Miami confirmed that the second person was not a student at Miami.
“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,” Andy Ray and Sara Buchen-Ray, said in an April 14 statement provided to the Oxford Free Press by a spokesperson. “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.”
Ray is being represented by Jordan Finfer, a lawyer with Patzik, Frank and Samotny. Finfer referred questions to Erin Pelton, a spokesperson for the Ray family.
A Copenhagen police spokesperson told ABC News that Ray and the unnamed student were sentenced to 10 days of pre-trial detention, which had been extended to April 24.
According to ABC News’ account of the altercation, Ray claimed that he and a friend had taken an Uber on March 31, but when they realized they had entered the wrong address, the driver refused to take them elsewhere. According to Ray’s account, all three of them got out of the car, and the Uber driver “kicked Ray in the groin,” ABC reported. Ray then pushed the driver away, and his friend ran elsewhere.
“Miami University learned of the situation involving undergraduate student Owen Ray through a media report,” a spokesperson for the university wrote in a statement to the Oxford Free Press. “His professors have been made aware of his delayed return from his personal trip to Europe. As they do with all students, professors and Student Life staff will provide support to assist him in completing his coursework upon his return to the university.”
This article was originally published by the Oxford Free Press.
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