Author: Reilly Lowery

Chinese authorities have dropped charges against an American college student who was arrested and detained in the Asian nation a week ago after reportedly injuring a taxi driver who was roughing up his mother in a fare dispute, a U.S. lawmaker said Sunday.  Guthrie McLean, a University of Montana senior, was released from a detention center in the central China city of Zhengzhou early Monday local time, according to Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana.  “Prayer’s answered. Guthrie’s home,” the 25-year-old student’s mother, Jennifer McLean, wrote in an email to Daines’ office.  Jennifer McLean confirmed her son’s release in an email to

University of Montana student Guthrie McLean, who was detained in China, has been safely reunited with his mother this morning.  U.S. Senator Steve Daines worked through the weekend with both the Chinese and United States Embassies, the Chinese government, local officials and McLean’s mother, Jennifer McLean, to ensure his safe release. Jennifer McLean emailed the Senator at 11:53 a.m. on Sunday morning stating, “prayers answered, Guthrie is home.” Guthrie plans to return to school at the University of Montana in the fall. No other details are available at this time.

Senator Steve Daines emphasized that it was a team effort to get Guthrie McLean released from the detention center in China. He said he received an email from Jennifer McLean, Guthrie’s mother, at 11:53 AM Mountain Time saying, “Prayers answered. Guthrie is home.” Daines said he has been in contact with the highest level of the Chinese government and is pleased with the outcome. He has had countless phone calls and email threads with Terry Branstad, the U.S. Ambassador to China and Cui Tiankai, the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. They were all working  20-hour days this past week.  Daines

An American college student is free following a weeklong detention for allegedly injuring a taxi driver who was roughing up his mother during a fare dispute, in a case that drew objections over the student’s treatment from U.S. lawmakers. Guthrie McLean, a student at the University of Montana, was released from a detention center in Zhengzhou early Monday, according to his mother Jennifer McLean, a teacher who lives in the central Chinese city. “We are very, very very, very happy,” Jennifer McLean wrote in an email to The Associated Press. She said the release — at 2 a.m. local time

A U.S. senator announced Sunday that Guthrie McLean, a 25-year-old college student, was released by Chinese authorities after he was arrested a week ago following a dispute with a taxi driver who was allegedly being rough with his mother. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., made the announcement Sunday and said Chinese police released McLean earlier in the day. “I am thrilled to report that we just received an email from Guthrie McLean’s mother that ‘prayers answered, Guthrie is home,’” Daines said in a statement. “After days of working the phones with top Chinese and American officials to secure Guthrie’s freedom from a Chinese

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced Sunday that Chinese authorities have released a 25-year-old American college student detained a week ago. “I am thrilled to report we just received an email from Guthrie McLean’s mother that ‘prayers answered, Guthrie is home,’ ” Daines said in a statement. McLean was taken into custody by Chinese authorities after allegedly injuring a taxi driver who had gotten into an argument with his mother a week ago, according to The Associated Press. “After days of working the phones with top Chinese and American officials to secure Guthrie’s freedom from a Chinese detention facility, he has

An American college student who was arrested in China one week ago after allegedly injuring a taxi driver who was roughing up his mother in a dispute over a fare has been released, according to a U.S. senator. Steve Daines, the U.S. Senator from Montana, released a statement today announcing the release of Guthrie McLean, 25, at 2 a.m. local time in China. “I am thrilled to report that we just received an email from Guthrie McLean’s mother that ‘prayers answered, Guthrie is home,’” Daines said in a statement. “After days of working the phones with top Chinese and American