Republican Senator Dies After Driving Lawnmower In Pool

A Republican state senator has died after suffering from injuries after he drove his lawnmower into an empty pool.

Kentucky state Sen. Johnnie Turner died on Tuesday, just a month after suffering significant injuries after he accidentally drove into an empty pool.

Turner has served in Kentucky’s state senate since 2021 and previously served in the Kentucky House from 1999-2003.

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers (R) shared, “The love and admiration I, along with so many others, feel for Johnnie is immense, but I know it pales compared to the depth of love held by those closest to him.”

Kentucky Lawmaker Dies at 76 After Empty Swimming Pool Accident on Lawnmower https://t.co/DNwnJfulaQ

— People (@people) October 24, 2024

Here’s what The Hill reported:

Kentucky state Sen. Johnnie Turner died Tuesday from injuries he suffered after being thrown into an empty swimming pool while riding his lawnmower just more than a month ago.

Turner, 76, formerly served in the U.S. Army as a medic and was an attorney in Cumberland, Ky., before joining the Legislature. The Republican had been in office since 2021, and previously served in the Kentucky House from 1999-2003.

“This loss is deeply personal to me, as I have known Johnnie long before our paths crossed in public office. I will miss my friend; my heart breaks for his wife, Maritza, and his children,” Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers (R) said in a statement.

“The love and admiration I, along with so many others, feel for Johnnie is immense, but I know it pales compared to the depth of love held by those closest to him,” Stivers wrote.

Turner was a community member in the city of Harlan who pushed for legislation to boost the state’s economy through the coal industry and horse racing. Eastern Kentucky once thrived off the coal industry but experienced a loss of business as the country turned to other fronts for energy, The Associated Press reported.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) observed the legislator serving after a flood devastated parts of the Bluegrass State.

Kentucky lawmaker dies weeks after lawnmower plunges into swimming pool https://t.co/3Z6gWQRX0x

— WKRN News 2 (@WKRN) October 24, 2024

Per iHeart Radio:

Kentucky State Senator Johnnie L. Turner passed away just over a month after a tragic accident where he fell into an empty swimming pool while riding a lawn mower. The 76-year-old Republican senator had been battling injuries sustained from the accident since September 15. The news of his passing was announced by Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers.

Born on December 25, 1947, Turner was a native of Harlan County, Kentucky. He served in the US Army from 1967 to 1969 before attending Union College and the University of Kentucky College of Law. Turner began his political career in the House of Representatives, serving from 1999 through 2002. He was elected to the state Senate for District 29 in 2021.

Throughout his political career, Turner was known for his staunch support for the coal industry and his efforts to bolster the economy in his district, which had been impacted by falling natural gas prices and stringent environmental regulations.

Turner’s name will still appear on the general election ballot due to the proximity of his death to the November 5 election. His only challenger, an Independent, had recently withdrawn from the race.

Turner is survived by his wife, three children, and grandchildren. His death has been met with an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and friends. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell remembered Turner as a “good man who loved the mountains and its people.”