Two young boys were dead and two men injured after a car that was engaged in a street race struck another vehicle head-on in Mead Valley on Tuesday, officials said.

A blue Honda Accord and black Nissan Altima lined up to illegally race each other on Oakwood Road, near the intersection with Brown Street, around 5:40 p.m., California Highway Patrol Officer Dan Olivas said.

Both took off east down Oakwood, with the Accord driving on the wrong side of the street. Then, as they approached the crest of the road, the Honda driver noticed a Nissan Versa in the same lane, heading the proper direction — straight toward him, Olivas said.

The Accord driver did not have time to react and slammed directly into the Versa.

The Versa’s occupants, a man and two boys aged 6 and 8, were all transported to the hospital, where the boys were pronounced dead, according to Olivas.

The driver suffered minor to moderate injuries.

A bystander named Michael said the Versa driver was panicked, saying his little brothers weren’t breathing.

“He was pretty devastated, so we were assisting pulling out the two brothers,” he said.

A group of witnesses laid the unresponsive youth on the ground and performed CPR until medics arrived, Michael said.

The Accord driver was also taken to the hospital with minor to moderate injuries. He was expected to face vehicular manslaughter charges, Olivas said.

The driver of the Altima that was involved in the race had briefly stopped at the scene but soon took off, Olivas said.

Authorities are now searching for the person. Olivas said the black sedan was possibly a 2005 model.

Officials did not immediately release the names of the others involved.

Anyone with information can contact CHP investigators at 951-637-8000.