Cardinal Driver, James Woods, Pulls Elderly
Woman and Daughter to Safety from Wreckage
CONCORD, N.C. (May 19, 2006) --- Wednesday,
April 5, 2006, started as just an ordinary day of the week
for James Woods of Orlando, Fla. - a full-time company driver
for Cardinal Logistics Management – one of the fastest
growing third-party logistics and transportation companies
in the nation. However, this day turned into be anything but
ordinary.
While returning to Orlando following his daily delivery
route for Cardinal from deliveries in Miami, Fla., Woods
noticed a large piece of tire tread in the left-hand lane
of the interstate. After checking his mirrors and instinctively
going through a driving safety check, he noticed a small car
approaching at a high rate of speed. As a safety precaution
and intuitively anticipating what could happen, Woods began
to slow down. The rapidly moving small vehicle then encountered
the debris in the road, swerved to the left and then cut back
to the right, losing control of the vehicle. The car then
became airborne and flipping over several times before eventually
coming to a rest on its roof on the side of the highway.
Cardinal driver Woods immediately hit his brakes and safely
brought his truck to a stop on the shoulder of the highway
to aid the accident victims. Woods rushed to the crash scene,
and with the help of another motorist, who had also stopped,
helped pull the two occupants from the smoking vehicle and
brought them to safety, away from the wreckage.
After ensuring that the occupants of the crashed vehicle – an
elderly woman and her daughter -- were okay, Woods entered
the highway on foot, and pulled the debris off the road to
safeguard against any additional accidents occurring. Woods
then returned to the accident scene to check on the victims
and make sure that emergency vehicles were on the way before
he left the scene.
“It’s so wonderful having a quality partner
like this. We sincerely appreciate everything that Cardinal
Logistics does for Office Depot,” said Mark Cartwright,
Vice President of Transportation-Supply Chain Logistics for
Office Depot. “On behalf of everyone at Office Depot,
we can’t thank Cardinal driver James Woods enough for
a job well done.”
Woods has been an employee driver with Cardinal Logistics
since May 2005 and has been accident and injury-free during
his tenure with the company. When asked about the heroic act
he had performed by Larry Ott, Operations Manager–Office
Depot Orlando, Woods humbly stated, “I just did what
anyone else would have done.”
Another motorist, Ralph Leonard, who witnessed the accident
and the aftermath, sent an email to the Community Relations
Department of Office Depot reiterating the event and stating, “I’m
old and could do little but watch and thank the heavens that
Office Depot has heroes like that driver. He and Office Depot
made a lot of friends that day.”
“How thrilling it is to have a Cardinal associate
who had the heart and soul to help in such a tragic situation,” said
Vin McLoughlin, Cardinal Chairman. “This incident just
makes you feel good about what we do and the great people
who work with us.”
About Cardinal Logistics Management Corporation
Headquartered in Concord, N.C., Cardinal is one of the country’s leading dedicated transportation solution providers. Cardinal's logistics experts work directly with clients to optimize their supply chains by developing and implementing customized transportation solutions including specialized equipment and handling, and integrated technology. Cardinal’s services include dedicated contract carriage, home and jobsite delivery, transportation management, supply chain consulting, warehousing and distribution for companies like AutoZone, Eastman Kodak Company, KraftMaid Cabinetry and Office Depot.
Amanda Pelfrey
Marketing Manager
Cardinal Logistics Management Corporation
1000 Old Roswell Lakes Parkway, Suite 300
Roswell, GA 30076
770-993-5662 x32
apelfrey@cardlog.com
