Motorist in Collision Is Charged : Accident: Two women are hospitalized after Wednesday night crash that closed Laguna Canyon Road. One is accused of drunk driving.

A drunk driver caused the head-on collision of two cars Wednesday night on Laguna Canyon Road that left both drivers hospitalized, a police official said.

Investigators said Thursday that Ruth Renee Bautista, 23, of Downey showed signs of intoxication after she was taken to a hospital after the accident.

Bautista was arrested at Mission Regional Hospital Medical Center in Mission Viejo, where she was listed in serious condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit. The other accident victim, Debra Mae Hussman, 35, of Laguna Beach, was listed in stable condition, hospital officials said.

The collision occurred about 8:15 p.m. just south of the San Diego Freeway, where Bautista’s subcompact drifted over the center line, police said.

The car smashed into Hussman’s vehicle, demolishing both cars, said Irvine Police Sgt. Al Murray. There were no passengers in either automobile, and both women were airlifted to the hospital.

The impact hurled the engine of Bautista’s car onto a hillside.

“It’s very surprising that nobody was killed,” Murray said. “Both drivers appeared to have their seat belts secured, which probably helped them survive.”

The collision occurred on an unlighted, two-lane section of the road. “It’s a countrylike setting, and sometimes people relax and begin speeding,” Murray said. “It doesn’t take much.”

Irvine police closed Laguna Canyon Road until about 2 a.m., when the wreckage was cleared.

Although she remained hospitalized, Bautista was released from custody on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to appear in Municipal Court in Newport Beach on May 13 on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.