A state trooper and an Owings Mills woman were seriously injured last night when the woman's vehicle hit the rear of an unmarked police car during rush-hour traffic in Westminster, authorities said.

Tfc. Gary R. Lang, a 12-year state police veteran assigned to the force's tactical assault unit out of the Waterloo barracks, was on duty at the time of the 5: 30 p.m. accident on Route 140 near Cranberry Mall, said Cpl. Carol Warner of the Westminster barracks.

Lang and Barbara Barnhard, 63, of Finksburg were taken by state MedEvac helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore and were listed in serious condition last night.

According to police, Barnhard was traveling east on Route 140 near Center Street when her Ford Explorer struck the rear of the unmarked police car, which had stopped for traffic.

"The Explorer apparently made no attempt to stop," said Warner.

Lang, assigned to the State Tactical Assault Team Element last year from the Westminster barracks, was on his way to join in a drug raid on the Eastern Shore, police said.

The trooper was conscious and complained of neck and back pain, she said. Barnhard "apparently had some previous injury," Warner said.

Pub Date: 11/06/98