North Huntingdon karate school owner in critical condition after motorcycle crash

Elizabeth Lindsay is no stranger to pushing physical limits.

The owner of C.S. Kim Karate in North Huntingdon, Lindsay has practiced karate since she was 4 years old. The 39-year-old Greensburg resident earned a place in a national Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2019.

Her brother, Peter Lindsay, believes her physical fitness may have helped her survive a motorcycle crash in North Versailles last weekend.

“She shouldn’t be here,” Peter said. “The accident was that severe. I don’t know how she is here.”

Elizabeth and a friend were riding motorcycles on Route 30 East around 9 p.m. Saturday when the motorcyclists collided with a car pulling out of a business parking lot. She made direct contact with the side of the vehicle, Peter said.

“All of the force of the accident went into that vehicle and her, and she was basically incapacitated at that time,” said Peter, of Denver.

Elizabeth is in critical but stable condition at Forbes Regional Hospital, Peter said. She was medically sedated and has been in and out of surgeries since the accident.

“We do not know if she will return mentally or physically at this time,” he said.

Her friend was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, according to Allegheny County Police, who have released few details on the crash. The driver of the car was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries. County detectives are investigating.

County police did not respond to a request for additional comment.

Beloved karate instructor

Elizabeth is the youngest of four siblings, who upon news of the accident rushed from their homes hours away to be with her in the hospital. The siblings grew up in Freeport, running through the woods and riding bikes.

Though her siblings have all moved away from their Western Pennsylvania home, Elizabeth has stayed in the area her whole life — apart from attending Mercyhurst University to pursue a degree in teaching.

As a karate instructor, Elizabeth is a beloved member of her community, Peter said.

“She is a caring and loving individual and wears her heart on her sleeve,” he said. “She’s passionate about everything she does. She’s strong-willed.”

The night of the crash, Elizabeth was riding to Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington — a route she has done dozens of times. As she always does, Elizabeth wore a full-face helmet, jacket, gloves, pants and boots.

“She’s a very good motorcycle rider,” Peter said. “This was an incident no matter how good you are. You can’t avoid this incident based on how it happened.”

Elizabeth has been riding motorcycles for at least a decade, traveling throughout Western Pa., West Virginia and Ohio. It is her way of relieving stress, Peter said.

Well-known in the local karate and motorcycle communities, Elizabeth has gathered widespread support following the crash.

More than $60,000 has been donated to a GoFundMe created to support her medical bills.

“So far, we’ve seen donations from almost every continent around the world, and it just shows the capacity she has to impact people — not just here, but around the world,” Peter said.

Local motorcyclists will meet Aug. 25 on Mt. Washington for a ride in Elizabeth’s honor, Peter said. Solo riders will pay $10, and pairs will pay $15. All proceeds will support Elizabeth’s recovery, according to an event posted by Ryde4Me on Facebook.

“The financial burden this is going to create is immense,” said Peter, who hopes to join the ride using one of Elizabeth’s motorcycles. “The outpouring that we have seen, the growth of the GoFundMe within the first 24 hours, just shows what she means to people.”

Peter urged the community not to blame the driver of the car involved in the crash.

“We don’t blame this individual at all,” he said. “We’ve all made a mistake while driving, and we believe that’s all that this was.”

Anyone with information concerning the crash can call 1-833-ALL-TIPS, county police said. Callers can remain anonymous.