The mother of an American influencer fears for her daughter who is facing jail time in Dubai after a public altercation that violated local morality laws.
Tierra Allen, who runs the “Sassy Trucker” brand of social media accounts was arrested after arguing with a car rental employee following a minor fender bender.
Ms Allen’s TikTok and YouTube channels showcase her life as a female truck driver. She was visiting Dubai on vacation at the end of May when the incident occurred.
Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is an extremely popular tourist destination known for luxury hotels and malls, skyscrapers, white sandy beaches and dramatic desert landscapes, making it extremely popular with social media influencers.
Ms Allen posted a YouTube video suggesting she was considering moving there from her current home in Houston, Texas.
Despite Dubai’s glittering image, many visitors do not realise that there are strict decency and morality laws and they can be arrested for swearing, making rude gestures, or being affectionate in public places.
Speaking to Fox 26 Houston, Ms Allen’s mom, Tina Baxter, said that after the fender bender, her daughter went to the car rental company to get her ID, credit card and some other personal items.
Ms Baxter said her daughter “found out she could only receive those items if she paid an undisclosed amount of money” and alleged that the employee dealing with her daughter was “very aggressive” and “screaming at her”.
Ms Allen allegedly screamed back at the employee who she claims then chased her out of the building. She called her mother when she got back to where she was staying and was “scared”, “afraid” and “very panicked”.
Worried that she might get Ms Allen in more trouble, Ms Baxter did not want to reveal the amount of money that was demanded. The car rental employee also allegedly doubled the amount owed to hand back the ID.
A police officer then allegedly showed up and arrested Ms Allen, though it is not known how soon after the altercation this occurred.
Ms Baxter has been in contact with Detained in Dubai, an organisation that offers legal consultation for clients who fall foul of the laws of the United Arab Emirates.
Radha Stirling, the CEO of Detained in Dubai, said they had reached out to Texas lawmakers — Senator Ted Cruz and Rep Sheila Jackson Lee — to work with the US consulate in Dubai to stop Ms Allen from being sent to prison.
“She’s being charged for shouting, which is actually a crime technically under the UAE laws,” Ms Stirling explained to Fox 26. “It’s offensive behaviour, and it can warrant up to two years in prison.”
“The agency actually said to her, they’d drop the police case if she paid money,” Ms Stirling continued. “So it’s a form of extortion and blackmail, and it’s extremely common with these rental car companies.”
Detained in Dubai has covered multiple cases where tourists are fleeced for sometimes tens of thousands of dollars by car rental agencies.
Senator Cruz’s office said in a statement: “We have spoken to the family of Tierra Young Allen and have contacted the Department of State about the case. Sen. Cruz will continue to gather details and engage on this case until Ms Allen is returned home to her family.”
The US embassy and consulate cannot comment on the case due to privacy laws.
