A dark patch of the roadway on U.S. 61 South was the site of a somber scene Tuesday night.

Emergency lights cast an eerie glow in the otherwise empty patch of roadway. The lights illuminated the road just enough for passersby to see the shadowy shapes of Mississippi State Highway Patrol troopers as they worked their investigation.

We may never know exactly what caused Reuben Riley and a truck to be in each other’s path.

Adams County Coroner James Lee said the truck’s driver simply did not see Riley, who was wearing dark colored clothing as he walked along the roadside, perhaps veering into the truck’s path.

The result, Lee said, was a “total tragedy.”

Lee is never one to mince words and perhaps his words have never been more apt.

Riley had just buried his mother earlier in the day. For his family, the period of mourning and sense of loss is further extended by the accident.

And the driver of the truck, too, must feel horrible.

The entire incident is a great example of why we should all be careful around the roadways and enjoy each day as a precious gift.

As the sun rose Wednesday morning, illuminating the scene, most of the evidence of the accident was gone, save small paint marks on the asphalt. Troopers used the paint to note the location of evidence.

Our community has suffered what seems to be more than its share of untimely deaths this year. And we hope that through them, somehow, we can all learn how precious life is and how easily it can be lost.