2 Pinoys killed, 6 injured in Wisconsin drunk-driving incident

REDWOOD CITY, California – A drunk-driving accident in Wisconsin on Saturday morning resulted in the death of two, and the injury of six Filipinos. The van in which the Filipinos were riding was hit by a car driven by an intoxicated 21-year-old man.

Wisconsin prosecutors identified the drunken driver as Michael Sonnentag, who fled the scene after rear-ending the van with eight people on board. He has since been arrested by authorities.

The two fatalities, Larci Ricafrente, 28, of Waterford, Michigan and Djamella Sugatan, 28, from the Philippines, were ejected from the van upon impact and pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say that both victims were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.

The six injured passengers, Alvin Dimaraan, Athan Dimaraan, Lison Dimaraan, Leah Lim Ricafrente, Luisito Ricafrente, and Jovita Alegre were treated at a nearby hospital for non-life threatening injuries and were released.

Sonnentag is being held at the Dunn County Jail with a cash bond of $50,000. He faces two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.