A one-car crash Sunday afternoon on Route 8 in New Hartford sent 7 people to St. Elizabeth's Hospital.  Five of those injured were children and police say they were not wearing seat belts.

The Ford Econoline van was carrying one adult and six children from Suffolk County.  Police told Syracuse.com that the driver lost control while in the passing lane.  The van then left the highway, and crashed into a tree.

The driver was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, unsafe speed, unsafe tires and five counts of back seat passangers between the ages of 8 and 15 not wearing a seat belt.  The accident happened at about 2:40pm near the Washington MIlls exit of Route 8.

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