CHICAGO (WLS) — The U.S. State Department is working with the families of two Chicago-area college students arrested in Denmark.
The lawyer for the family of Owen Ray said the 19-year-old and a friend were headed back to their hotel on March 30 when there was a dispute with their rideshare driver.
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The next day, Ray and his friend were arrested at the airport as they were about to fly home. They remain in custody.
“He’s a bright young man,” Ray family attorney Jordan Finfer said. “I think he’s handling it as well as anyone could, but I think he relayed to his mom, ‘you’ll never get used to the sound of the jail cell door closing.”
The lawyer for Ray’s family said he will remain in custody until his trial.
An Uber spokesperson shared a statement with ABC News, saying, “The safety of everyone who uses the Uber app is a top priority, and we take reports of violence very seriously. The driver reported to Uber that he was assaulted by two riders who were later arrested by Danish police. Any additional questions about the investigation should be directed to the Danish police.”
A U.S. State Department spokesperson provided a statement to ABC News, saying, “We are aware of media reports of two U.S. citizens detained in Denmark. Staff at our embassy in Copenhagen are providing consular assistance.
The Department has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad.
Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.”
Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s officer released a statement, saying they have “been in regular contact with the family and our embassy in Denmark since being made aware of situation.”
No further information was immediately available.
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