Two women who died after the van they were riding was hit by a car early Saturday on Interstate 94 in west-central Wisconsin have been identified.

Killed in the wreck about 2:40 a.m. near Elk Mound were Larci Ricafrente, 28, of Waterford, Mich., and Djamella Sugatan, 28, of the Philippines, the Highway Patrol said.

The driver of the car fled the scene and was later arrested on suspicion of being drunk, authorities said.

Four adults and two children in the van, all from the Chicago suburb of Schiller Park, were briefly treated for their injuries. All were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The women who died were not wearing seat belts and were thrown from the van, the patrol said.

Arrested more than four hours later on foot about 10 miles from the crash site was Michael D. Sonnentag, 21, of Cadott, Wis. He remains jailed on two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle and drunken driving.

Sonnentag's criminal history in Wisconsin includes a charge in August of driving with a suspended license, which is pending, and convictions for driving with open alcohol in a vehicle and underage drinking.

According to the patrol:

The collision on westbound I-94 sent the van into trees off to the right of the interstate. Sonnentag fled in his car, leaving behind his damaged vehicle's hood. Dunn County deputies found the car shortly after 4 a.m. about 9 miles west of the crash scene. The car was on a dead-end road and unoccupied.

Another mile west, a deputy spotted Sonnentag walking along a Menomonie road and apprehended him.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482