Utah Highway Patrol troopers are investigating a crash that killed six people, five of them family members, and seriously injured three others early Saturday morning.

Unified Fire Authority Capt. Clint Smith called the accident "very ugly -- one of the worst our crews have been involved in for quite some time."

It happened at about 1 a.m., near the Great Salt Lake State Park and Saltair.

A Dodge Stratus carrying seven people was heading southeast on State Road 202, said Utah Highway Patrol spokesman Brian Hyer. The driver, 35-year-old Veronica Martinez, started to turn left on eastbound State Road 201.

She pulled into the intersection and was broadsided by a westbound Mercury Sable. Both cars were

totaled. Three medical helicopters flew to the scene.

Martinez and front seat passenger Ricardo Ramirez, 29, were killed. Backseat passengers 15-year-old Mercedes Martinez and 6-year-old Veronica Ramirez were thrown from the car.

Mercedes died at the scene and Veronica died on the way to a local hospital.

Five-year-old Isabel Ramirez and family friend Megan Foot, 15, also died at the scene. All are residents of the Salt Lake area.

The only survivor from the Stratus was 4-year-old Ricardo Ramirez. Also riding in the front seat, he was critically injured and transported to Primary Children's Medical Center, but is expected to survive. The two adults in the front seat were wearing seat belts, but none of the other passengers were.

"With the vehicle carrying seven, of course we realized there were going to be multiple people unrestrained," Smith said.

Driving the Mercury Sable was 34-year-old Jared Perry with his son, 9-year-old Dwayne Perry, in the passenger seat, said Jared's, Dwayne Perry.

Both were seriously injured and flown by helicopter to the University of Utah Hospital. They are expected to survive, police said. Jared Perry was wearing a seat belt. It was not clear whether his son was wearing one, but neither was thrown from the car.

Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash.

Jared Perry spent much of the afternoon in surgery, and was preparing for further operations Sunday, his father said.

He injured his wrist, hip, knee and was dealing with internal problems. The boy also had internal problems. His colon was cut, and his intestines were lacerated. Doctors had to reconstruct the liner of his intestines, and he was dealing with some other internal bleeding. He was released from surgery around noon, his grandfather said.

The two were on their way home to Grantsville after helping a relative in Murray move.

"It's very stressful as a grandfather and a dad," said the elder Dwayne Perry. "That's my son, you know, it's hard to see him all busted up."