At least half a dozen people were hospitalized after a crash involving seven vehicles occurred Saturday on the eastbound side of the Belt Parkway.

Police say the accident began at around 9:30 p.m. when a car in the far right lane swerved, hit another vehicle in the middle and pushed it into a car in the left lane.

That car was flung into westbound traffic and T-boned by a Honda going at a high speed. Authorities say the people in the Honda were hurt.

Three more cars rear-ended each other behind the Honda, according to police.

Authorities say the driver who initially swerved and created the chain reaction fled from the scene. Police and highway patrol are searching for the driver and cleaning up the trail of wreckage.