Kentucky State Senator Dies After Lawn Mower Accident

Kentucky State Senator Johnnie Turner died Tuesday evening after being injured in a lawn mower accident.

The 76-year-old Republican's death was announced by Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers in a statement Wednesday. Stivers said Turner died after a "hard-fought battle" with injuries sustained in his recent accident.

In September, Turner was critically injured when the lawn mower he was riding fell into an empty swimming pool at his home in Harlan, about a 3-hour drive southeast of the state's capital of Frankfort.

Turner was a fierce supporter of the coal industry, pushing for legislation that would uplift his Appalachian district, which covered several counties in eastern Kentucky. The coal industry was once the backbone of the eastern Kentucky economy, but coal jobs declined sharply over the past decade due to cheaper natural gas prices and stricter environmental regulations that prompted electric providers to shift from buying coal.

Kentucky State Senator Johnnie Turner, front, gives a speech on August 25, 2022, in Frankfort, Kentucky. Turner died Tuesday evening after being injured in a lawn mower accident. AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner

Tributes for Turner

Stivers remembered Turner as an uplifting public servant.

"Johnnie spent his life lifting others—whether through his service in the U.S. Army, as a member of the State House of Representatives and State Senate, or in his private legal practice," Stivers said. "His unwavering commitment to the people of eastern Kentucky—his constituents, brothers and sisters in Christ, whom he so fondly referred to as 'his people'—was at the heart of everything he did."

Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer said in an interview Wednesday that Turner "was just an amazing man of the mountains, who is kind and generous and open-minded about supporting initiatives that were good for the entire state, while at the same time being a fierce advocate for his region."

Thayer spoke of Turner's courage when he supported a horse racing bill passed in 2021. The bill secured the legal status of wagering on slots-style historical reaching machines, which produce a lot of revenue for racetracks.

"He told me that he saw what happened to the coal industry in eastern Kentucky and he didn't want to see another leading industry—in this case the horse industry—have the same thing happen to it," Thayer said of Turner, who represented a socially conservative district. "I really appreciate his courage on that."

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, wrote in a social media post on Wednesday that he and his wife Britainy "are saddened by the news of Sen. Johnnie Turner's passing. We send our condolences and prayers to his family and friends during this difficult time."

Turner's Time in Office

Turner was an attorney who dedicated his life to public service whether it was during his time in the U.S. Army or the Kentucky legislature.

From 1967 to 1969, Turner was a medic in the Army. He later did a stint in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002. Turner then was elected to the state Senate in 2021.

Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne said Wednesday that Turner was an "ardent champion and passionate voice for eastern Kentucky."

"We are saddened by his loss, but know that his legacy will live on in those he helped," Osborne said.

What Happens to Turner's Senate Seat?

Turner won against two challengers in the Republican primary election this spring. His name will still be on the November 5 election ballot due to how close his death came to the election, according to the secretary of state's office.

Turner's only challenger, independent David Suhr from Middlesboro, recently withdrew from the race. Write-in candidates have until Friday to file their bid for Turner's seat, but otherwise, a special election will be held to fill it, according to the secretary of state's office.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.