HARLAN, Ky. (AP) – A Kentucky lawmaker was seriously injured when the lawnmower he was riding plunged into an empty swimming pool at his home, officials said Monday.
State Sen. Johnnie Turner, a Harlan Republican, was in critical but stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, said Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers.
Kentucky State Police said Turner was injured when he drove a lawn mower into the deep end of a pool. The authorities received an emergency call on Sunday shortly before 8 p.m. The state police does not have more detailed information about the cause of the accident. Turner was taken to a local hospital and then transferred to UT Medical Center.
Turner’s injuries were not immediately reported. His family asked for prayers for his “speedy recovery,” Stivers said in a statement.
Turner, an attorney, represents several counties in Eastern Kentucky. He won the state Senate election in 2020, unseating a Democratic representative with the same last name. Turner defeated two challengers in the Republican primary in May and will be challenged by an independent candidate in the November election. Turner served in the Kentucky House from 1999 to 2002.
Turner is a staunch defender of the coal industry that was once the backbone of eastern Kentucky’s economy. Coal employment in Kentucky fell sharply over the past decade, as lower natural gas prices and stricter environmental regulations led power suppliers to move away from buying coal.
Kentucky’s GOP-dominated legislature begins its 2025 session in January. Until then, lawmakers will meet in ad hoc committees to study variousissues in preparation for next year’s 30-day session.
