Prosecutor: 86-year-old wrong-way driver was drunk at time of crash

TACOMA -- An 86-year-old wrong-way driver accused of causing a three-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 5 near Tacoma Dome Monday night had a blood-alcohol level of .123, Pierce County prosecutors said.

Pano Palas is being charged with vehicular assault, Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said.

Three people, including the Palas,  were injured in the crash, Washington State Patrol said.

According to WSP, Palas was driving a 2011 Toyota RAV-4 the wrong way in the center lane of I-5 when he hit the other two vehicles head on.

A 36-year-old passenger in one of the victim vehicles was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital. An 11-year-old boy and a 7-year-old boy in one of the victim vehicles were not inured.

Palas allegedly told WSP troopers he was driving from Auburn and had gotten turned around in a construction area. He was unable to provide an answer to the details of the crash, charging documents show.