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A Kentucky lawmaker has been critically injured in lawn mower accident

By Daniel Miller
Published  September 16, 2024 1:34pm CDT
U.S.
FOX 32 Chicago
article

FILE-Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky on July 29, 2019. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)

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The Brief

    • Kentucky State Sen. Johnnie Turner was seriously injured in a lawn mower accident at his home.
    • Turner was in critical but stable condition at a Tennessee hospital.
    • The senator represents multiple counties in eastern Kentucky and is a loyal defender of the coal industry.

A Kentucky senator was critically injured when he drove his lawn mower into the deep end of an empty swimming pool at his home. 

State Sen. Johnnie Turner was in critical but stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

In a statement provided to the Associated Press, Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers said Turner's injuries were not immediately revealed, and his family requested prayers for his "speedy recovery."

Police received a 911 call Sunday night and had no information about what caused the accident. Authorities told the AP that the senator was transported to an area hospital and then transferred to UT Medical Center. 

Turner, a loyal defender of the coal industry, represents multiple counties in eastern Kentucky. He won election to the state Senate in 2020 and is being challenged by an independent candidate in the November election. 

He also served in the Kentucky House from 1999 to 2002, the AP noted. 

The Source

  • Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press.  The AP obtained a statement from Kentucky’s senate president on Turner’s condition and info from Kentucky authorities.  This story was reported from Washington, D.C.