Kentucky lawmaker Johnnie Turner dies a month after falling into empty pool on lawn mower
A Kentucky state senator is dead a month after he sustained injuries from a lawn mower accident.
Johnnie Turner, a Republican who represented a district in eastern Kentucky, died on Tuesday evening after a "hard-fought battle," Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers said in a statement. He was 76.
Turner's injuries occurred on Sept. 15 when he plunged into the deep end of an empty pool while on a lawn mower, officials said.
"Over the past weeks, his remarkable resolve and strength filled the Turner family – and all of us – with optimism, making this loss difficult to bear," Stivers wrote. "I will miss my friend; my heart breaks for his wife, Martiza, and his children."
Kentucky State Police previously reported the mower fell into the deep end of an empty swimming pool. Turner was taken to a nearby hospital and later flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.
Turner represented District 29 in eastern Kentucky since 2021 and was previously state representative from 1999-2002. Outside of the state legislature, Turner was an attorney and previously served as a medic in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969.
"Johnnie was truly one of the most fascinating people that I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing," state Sen. Phillip Wheeler wrote in a post on social media. "His friendship is something that I will treasure the rest of my life."
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a statement to the Associated Press recalled run-ins with Turner while they were surveying flooding damage in eastern Kentucky.
“Johnnie was on the scene, ankle-deep in mud, his equipment from home in tow, ready to help folks in Letcher County,” said McConnell, who also represents Kentucky. “That’s just who he was: a good man who loved the mountains and its people.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also offered his sympathies.
"Britainy and I are saddened by the news of Sen. Johnnie Turner’s passing," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "We send our condolences and prayers to his family and friends during this difficult time."
Turner was running unopposed for reelection following his opponent's withdrawal from the race. Turner's name will still appear on the ballot, the secretary of state's office told the Associated Press. Unless write-in candidates file for the seat by Friday, a special election will be held to fill the seat.
This story was updated to add a video.