Traffic was backed up on both sides of Sunrise Highway Thursday evening due to a motor vehicle accident that occurred just before exit 55 westbound.
Law enforcement officers from the Suffolk County Sheriff's office arrived at the scene at approximately 5:30 p.m. A white minivan's front end collided with the back of a blue passenger vehicle, sending it into the grass median. Traffic slowed to a crawl from exit 54 to exit 57 on both the westbound and eastbound lanes.
Further information about the cause of the accident or the condition of those involved could not be obtained as of press time. A message was left with the sheriff's office.