HARLAN, Ky. — State Sen. Johnnie Turner, R-Harlan, has died at 76. According to State Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, who announced Turner’s passing on Facebook, died from injuries he sustained in a lawn mower accident on Sept. 15. 

What You Need To Know

  • State Sen. Johnnie Turner has died following injuries sustained from a lawn mower accident last month

  • Turner was critically injured while riding on a lawn mower that plunged into an empty swimming pool at his home on Sept. 15

  • Turner was a defender of the coal industry, once the backbone of the eastern Kentucky economy

  • He served as U.S. Army Medic from 1967 to 1969 and graduated from the University of Kentucky Law School in 1977

“Eastern Kentucky and the 29th Senate District have suffered an irreparable loss, a loss even more deeply felt by Johnnie’s friends and family. Please keep Johnnie’s wife Maritza, his children Yazmin, Susie, and Johnnie, and his grandchildren in your thoughts and prayers,” Wheeler shared.

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, issued a statement sharing condolences on behald of the Senate Majority Caucus. “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,” he said. 

“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 added.

Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., also shared his condolences on social media. “Brittainy and I 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,” he said.

Turner was critically injured while riding on a lawn mower that plunged into an empty swimming pool at his home on Sept. 15. He was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville for treatment and was in critical but stable condition following the accident. Turner’s injuries were not disclosed at the time.

The Republican lawmaker was an attorney, representing 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 was facing a challenge by independent candidate David Suhr in the November election, but Turner announced Suhr withdrew from the race in October. Turner previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002.

Turner was a defender of the coal industry, once the backbone of the eastern Kentucky economy. He served as a U.S. Army Medic from 1967 to 1969 and graduated from the University of Kentucky Law School in 1977. 

This is a developing story. We will add more details when they become available. 

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