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- Section Gross~ Pointe ~ws A ---------------_._----------------_._---- -----~ -- ---------- - ------_._--------------- P~bJl.hed a. Seeond cr... Matt .. at the 30e P.. Copy 36 Pages-Three Sections VOL. 42-NO, 27 'olt OIlJe. al Det,olt, Michigan GROSSE POINTE, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1981 $13 h, Yeo, ~------ ---~_._. ----------------------- Stop thief! Struck by props, Lock your • ten-speed youth dies III By Joanne Gouleche T,' t' t' ,. .... • .1. L" ~1I" ~Ull~ 01 Y~,Il. lor /:i!P- pmg lemonade, basking in the boatillg 111ishap sun and stealing bicycles accord- ing to Grosse Pointe police By Tom Greenwood Wojcik's body was recovered Sun. officials, day afternoon near the seawall .by the "I tried to hold him as long Crescent Sail Yacht Club, not far More than 600 bikes were as I could, but he just slipped from where he was killed, snatched away last year from away." With those words, an Grosse Pointe driveways, ga- As of :I!onday, June 29, the incident obviously distraught Bill Ku- rages and in front of local busi- was slill under investigation, accord. zenko retold how 15-year-old nesses. The trend appears to be ing to Farms Detective Sgt. George Gregory Wojcik died in Lake S~, VanTiem. continuing in 1981. Clair last Thursday afternoon. No charges have ,been made against Figures on stolen bikes usually soar Ravine who, upon advice of legal According to police reports, Wojcik, this time of year, police say. because counsel, did not make a statement of Ridgemont Road, drowned after there are just more of them on city to police. Officials said there were being struck by the propellers of a streets and a lot more unprotected drugs or liquor on board the 24,foot Sea Ray cabin cruiser operated no bikes in neighborhood homes and vessel involved in -the aceident and by Martin J. Ravine, of St, Clair garages. that neither Kuzenko or Ravine had Shol'es. Kuzenko, of Thcee Mile been drinking, "Bikes are easy items to convert Dri ve, was a passenger in the vessel. into cash," says Grosse Pointe City A search of Ihe Sea Ray also con. Photo by Tom Greenwood The accident occurred about 200 Public Safety Director Bruce Ken- firmed the boat was fully equipped On its way to search for the body of Gregory Wojcik, 15, who drowned Thursday afternoon, yards northeast of the Crescent nedy. "With the economy so bad, sail with life saving devices. June 25, a Coast Guard cutter passes by the 24-foot white Sea Ray boat that struck the boy while Yacht Club about 3 p.m. Thursday, bikes are easy prey, Everybody has "It's just crazy what happened," June 25. According to witnesses, a little larceny in them. If someone he was swimming near the Crescent Sail Yacht Club, Wojcik, of Ridgemont Road, was recovered Kuzenko said. "It was a beautiful Wojcik was with two friends on a walks up to you with a bike and on Sunda)' afternoon, June 28, not far from the area where the incident occurred. day. We were out for a leisurely rubber Hfe raft when he tried to offer5 to sell it for $25, chances are cruise soaking up the sun and a boy swim to a small sail boat about 100 you're going to buy it if you have ends up dying. It's just crazy" he yards away carrying four other $25 in YOUt' pocket. said with a shake of his head, ' friends, La5t week, Kennedy's department Teen slaying probe continues REAUZING HE couldn't catch the Gregory, at 5 feet 7 inches, 155 reported .at least six stolen bikes sailboat (which was headed for the pounds, was described by his father, from homes on Lincoln, Lakeland, Kenneth Wojcik, as an "excellent he was shot. He al.:o said he never Farms Pier Park), Wojcik turned and Notre Dame and in front 9f the Vil. By Gregory Jak~b knew Poole to steal anything and began swimming back to the rubber swimmer." The teenager would have lage's Jacobson's s.tore and Damman been a sophomore at South High Grosse Pointe Woods Police thll he wasn't taking drugs. raft. Witnesses said Wojcik tried to Hardware, where police arrested a Police seek dive beneath the power boat, (return. School next year. are looking for the person they 25.year.old Detroit man after he al- Another friend said he thinks Poole ing from a trip to Belle Isle), but was believe was with 17-year-old As of press time, funeral arrange. legedly attempted to steal a bike may have been on his way home to apparenlly .struck by the props of the Todd. Poole shortly before Poole key subject ments were incomplete, parked in front of the store, Doyle Place West, which is eight cruiser. was fatally shot by a man who block, from Stevens' home, when Police admit some residents believe Questioned at the Pier 'Park, Ku- said he was breaking into his drunk," according to Woods Public son12thing happened. Grosse Pointe is immune to bike zenko said neither he nor Ravine saw home on Sunday, June 21. Safety Director John Dankel. thefts and so leave their two-wheeled All said they had never seen Poole the boy until after the accident oc- Sewer rates paint and chrome beauties unchained The high alcohol level indicates become violent before or after drink. curred. "We were returning after Poole, a Lutheran High East junior w3tching the power boats racing and unprotected and ready for thieves who lived on Do)'le Place West in the that Poole may have been drinking ing. • • to grab, downtown," said Kuzenko, Woods, was last seen by three friends with wmeone after leaving the party Detectives still have a long list of around 2 a.m., Dankel said. Jump agaIn' That has been all too frequently who dropped him off at Mack and names for interviews to detennine "As we approached the yacht club, the case in Grosse Pointe Park where Lennon about 2 a.m. June 21, after "I think he was with somebody and where Poole was and who he was we saw the raft off to one side and By Joanne Gouleche Police Chief Henry Coonce reports at a par\y, police said. they continued to drink, That second with before the shooting, Dankel said. the sailboat off to the other, We leaEt 60 bikes staten SO far this year, A1;o not completed is a full medical didn't see anyone swimming in ~. Residents will find nearly a 20 per. ._. A tri€.n:l who lives near. the inter,. person for some rea SOil is afrai d to -.' '-. ~" ' - examiner's teporl which will tell if tween." cent inctease in sewer rates the next section and was at the party said come foriv.ar(i' 'a'nd '\ve- need to talk In that communily last year, some there was any trace of drugs in Kuzenko said they then heard a Poole may have been headed for his to that person," Dankel said. time they open their water bills. 200 persons walked away from their, Poole's bloodstream, Dankel said, clunking sound, like striking a piece in most cases, unlocked bikes never hou~e, where he was always welcome. "1 can't bring myself to beleive of wood. He estimated the boat was They can blame the hike on De- 10 see them again. A la,'ge amount of evidence in. For some reason, Poole ended up tha: such a person doesn't exist al traveling le.ss than 20 mph. troit's Water and Sewerage Depart- cluc.>;; a gun, four slugs, a door about six blocks away at 1039 Sun- this .lime," Dankel added. ment, which is under a 1979 federal "In almost every ca£e, these 'bikes thai was kicked in at Stevens' home "The kids on the raft were yelling ningdele, home of Roger Stevens, 40, court order to clean up its system were unlocked," Coonce says. "Only So far, there is nothing to contra. and pieces of Poole's and Stevens: for us to come about," said Kuzenko. a corn-:nodities broker and manufac. which was found to be in violation a small percentage were stolen from dict Steven,' account of the alleged clothing, is still beinb examined at "We looked back and saw Greg in turers representative, Stevens was of the Federal Clean Water Act. a sec~r-ed position." break-in and shooting and no charges the Stale Police Crime Lab Dankel the water. He was yelling. I jumped awakened between 5:30 and 6 a.m. by ha\'e been brought againsl him, said, . , in and tried to hold him, but he was Earl.ier this year, the Detroit City Coonce added that the market for pounding on his back door, police Dankel said. just too heavy. CounCIl okayed the latest increase to stolen bikes will remain viable "as said, "We don't expect any big dramatic "He didn't say anything to me. J be passed along to the system's 76 !:Jng as people buy them off the • "He (Slevens) can come and go and developmenls at this point. We don't think he was in shock. Suddenly his suburban customers, including the streets:' Stevens tol:l police he confronted do as he wants 10 because he has think the (lab) reports will hold an)' head just raIled back and I believe he Grosse Paintes. The new increase Poole in the kitchen and shot him not been charged with a crime," surprise, for us," Dankel said, When bike thieves are not working died in my arms.

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