An alcohol-related drag race was apparently the cause of a head-on collision in Crownsville that left one man dead and another charged with vehicular homicide, Anne Arundel County police said.

Police said three drivers were speeding south on Generals Highway early Thanksgiving Day when one of them, Byron H. Hernandez of Housley Road in Annapolis, crossed into the northbound lanes to pull ahead of the others.

Near the intersection of Belvoir Farms Road, Hernandez's 1991 Honda CRX smashed into a 2001 Jeep Ranger, police said. A passenger in the Honda, Maximiliano Merlos, 34, of Wellington Place in Annapolis, was thrown from the car and died of extensive head injuries, police said.

Although Merlos had been wearing a seatbelt, it was attached to the passenger door, which detached during the crash, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another driver, Jose A. Munoz, 42, of Martha Court in Annapolis, was charged yesterday with vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while impaired and vehicular manslaughter, according to court records.

On impact, the Jeep flipped onto its right side and driver James M. Belt, 39, of Gambrills and passenger Vincent A. Santini, 29, of Doages Drive in Millersville sustained minor injuries, police said.

After hitting the Jeep head-on in the northbound lane, the Honda spun back into the southbound lane where it was struck by Munoz's 1995 Nissan Sentra and another Nissan Sentra that had been speeding with the group, police said.

Hernandez was seriously injured and was flown to Prince George's Trauma Center, where he was transferred out of critical care yesterday.

Officers obtained a blood test from Hernandez and a Breathalyzer test from Munoz because they suspected the men had been drinking, police said.

Munoz sustained minor injuries in the pileup and refused treatment before being taken into custody.

Police are searching for a dark-colored early 1990s Nissan Sentra thought to be the third vehicle involved in the accident, which fled the scene. Anyone with information can call the traffic safety section at 410-222-8573.