Two women injured in a three-car crash south of Westminster yesterday afternoon were taken by helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment.

One of the drivers, Renee Ann May, 32, of Baltimore was trapped in her 1983 Volkswagen Jetta for about 35 minutes while rescue workers cut off both doors to extricate her.

She was taken to a nearby field to be picked up by a Maryland State Police MedEvac helicopter.

She was in serious and stable condition late yesterday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Elizabeth Jane Smith, 23, of Millers, the driver of a 1989 Nissan Sentra, was taken to the same helicopter. Her condition was listed as fair and stable at the Shock Trauma Center.

Traffic around the crash site, Route 27 at Spring Mills Road, was blocked for about an hour after the collision.

Many drivers made U-turns on the highway to seek other routes rather than wait for the road to reopen. Drivers of trucks and tractor-trailers, which did not have room to turn around, left their vehicles parked on the road and walked to the accident site to watch the rescue operation.

Police said the accident occurred about 1:15 p.m. when a 1988 Dodge Aries being driven south on Route 27 by Jessie Bigler, 82, of New Windsor struck the right rear of the Sentra.

They said the Sentra was knocked across the center line and into the path of the northbound Jet ta.

Tfc. George Noyes, who investigated the crash, charged Ms. Bigler with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.