A Kentucky lawmaker has been critically injured in lawn mower accident

HARLAN, Ky. -- A Kentucky lawmaker was critically injured when the lawn mower he was riding plunged into an empty swimming pool at his home, authorities said Monday.

State Sen. Johnnie Turner, a Republican from Harlan, was in critical but stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, said Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers.

Turner was injured when he drove his mower into the deep end of the pool, Kentucky State Police said. Authorities received the 911 call shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday. State police had no details about what caused the accident. Turner was taken to a local hospital and then transferred to UT Medical Center.

Turner's injuries were not immediately disclosed. His family requested prayers for his “speedy recovery,” Stivers said in a statement.

Turner, an attorney, represents multiple counties in eastern Kentucky. He won election to the state Senate in 2020, ousting a Democratic incumbent with the same last name. Turner defeated two challengers in the Republican primary in May, and he is being 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, once the backbone of the eastern Kentucky economy. Coal employment in Kentucky fell sharply over the last decade as cheaper natural gas prices and tougher environmental regulations prompted electric providers to move away from buying coal.

Kentucky's GOP-dominated legislature will begin its 2025 session in January. Until then, lawmakers are meeting in interim committees to study a range of issues in preparation for next year's 30-day session.