N eed a holiday g i f t quick? See pg. 26 fo r sound lo ca l choices I'fymouth District Library 113 S. Main Street 1 lymouth, M l 48170-1687 75 $ C om m unity Crier Vol. 25 No. 43 wwvv. crier, com December 2. 1998 ■'OFCCC In c. Avww.comnninitv-GUIDE.com The next logical step? Twp. City, Twp. woman may study killed by shared P.D. motorist BY BRYON MARTIN It’s a question that has bubbled up around the City and Township Halls for years and, Police testing according to some in both Plymouths, now is the time to ask it again — would a full driver’s and victim ’s merger of the City and Township police departments be worthwhile? blood for alcohol Most city commissioners and township trustees have only just begun to inch toward police merger on a smaller scale — a shared BY SCOTT SPIELMAN dispatch center. A 21-year old Plymouth woman was Monday night, discussion in the City struck by a truck and killed while walking camp took a turn toward the hardline. Most along Ford Road early Thursday morning. commissioners said they weren’t interested Police said alcohol may have been a factor in shared dispatch unless the center is built in in the accident. the City. Holiday buzz.. Cross-eyed barber and Plymouth Whaler According to Canton Police reports, Nonetheless, other officials say that with center Harold Druken prepares to assist fellow Whaler Troy Smith in his Tiffany Morante was walking west on Ford management changeson the way at City emulation of a Christmas tree bulb Wednesday at Compuware Sports Road when a 27-year old Northville man Hall, the time is right to move ahead and Arena. Smith agreed to the holiday head shaving tradition for the second hit her with his Jeep Cherokee. reconsider the full-merger question. year in a row as a team-building exercise. See the story in Sports, pg. 22 Police are withholding the driver’s name City Commissioner Colleen Pobur wants pending charges. (Crier photo by R. Alwood Jr.) to pursue detailed answers to these questions. According to Ofc. Leonard Schemanske, Pobur said she wants the City and Township three other witnesses reported dodging to undertake a study into consolidating the Morante as she walked down the road. two departments. She said she plans to Morante was pronounced dead at the B o t s f o r d Inn bought propose such a study tonight during a joint scene, according to reports. Police are meeting with Township officials at the performing blood tests on the driver and Plymouth Dunning-Hough Library. BY W. EDWARD WENOVER Morante to determine if alcohol was a factor “The study should be a full report of the The historic Botsford Inn has a “new” owner. in the accident. Results from the tests could benefits and the drawbacks. It would have to Until last Wednesday, Creon Smith, of Mayflower Hotel fame, was listed as owner and take from one to three weeks. be a financial and practical move,” she said. proprietor of the inn that saw many Plymouth-Canton functions and ties. Schemanske said both Morante and the “Now is the time to evaluate the feasibility of Please see pg. 8 driver of the vehicle had recently left a merger.” Bailey’s Sports Bar and Grille on Canton Supporters say a merged police Center and Ford roads. Schemanske said it department could save tax money by sharing was just a coincidence that the two had left costs, staff and pooling resources. A bigger Busy start Coup 2 from the same location, and that they didn’t police department could qualify for grants know each other. each department is too small to get on its Holiday hoppers don’t SMAC lands Interlochen Reports said the driver, also headed west own. disappoint City retailers on Ford, struck Morante with the left side of Critics warn that the City and Township drama director his vehicle. have different policing needs, and that a See Business, pg. 10 See Sports, pg. 6 “She just walked in front of the car,” the Please see pg. 7 Please see pg. 2 Page 2 THE COMMUNITY CRIER: December 2,1998 C anton police add car cam eras * BY SCOTT SPIELMAN Selective enforcement unit are those vehicles sent to stores the video in tapes locked in the vehicle’s trunk. The* Canton police have a new warning for speeders and areas that produce a large number of traffic complaints, camera also picks up sound from a microphone attached to , other traffic law violators: smile, you’re on camera. Nemecek said. Selective Enforcement officers generally the officer’s lapel, providing a record of the conversation , The Public Safety department has ordered four in-car write more tickets and have more contact with drivers than between officer and driver. :. : video cameras for their selective enforcement units. a typical patrol officer, he said. The cameras have been ordered and should be installed According to Special Services Lt. Pat Nemecek, the “They go into an area where there are a lot of problems and functional by the end of the year, according to department has tested a camera in its weighmaster and they just take care of business,” Nemecek said. “They Nemecek. * vehicle this year, and it has proven a valuable tool. have a lot more contact with other drivers. That’s why we The department will decide if the video cameras will be “It picks up the violations on tape,” he said. “We’re picked those units.” as helpful as they anticipate and consider installing the able to use it as evidence in court. When people find out The cameras are largely automatic, and begin taping $4,000 cameras in more cruisers next year, Nemecek said. we have a tape of the incident, they don’t usually pursue it when the cruiser’s overhead lights are activated, according “We’ll take a look at them at budget time to see if in court.” to Nemecek. They record the exact time and date and that’s something we want to do,” Nemecek said. Meijer’s thief threatens Canton officer BY SCOTT SPIELMAN officer and nearly ran him down with his Meijers’ loss prevention officers running Instead, the suspect punched the Canton police suspect it was a 28-year- car. from teh store in pursuit. accelerator, driving directly at the police old Westland man who dodged arrest According to police reports, Ofc. Torolowski advised the suspect to stop. officer. Torolowski dodged, and the car Saturday after he fled from a police Derek Torolowski was dispatched to the The man immediately fled to the north, sped through the parking lot at a high rate Meijers store at Canton Center and Ford reports said. Torolowski gave chase, but of speed before turning and driving east roads for a retail fraud in progress. the man made it to his small red Chevy on Ford Road, according to reports. En route, he learned the suspect had before Torolowski could close the gap. Torolowski ran back to his patrol car to allegedly stolen items from a Meijers Torolowski instead stood in front of give chase, but was unable to locate the store in Roseville, and pulled a knife on the car, raised his left hand and ordered suspect. Police searched for the suspect in JohnF. an employe there, according to reports. the man to leave the vehicle. Westland without success, reports said. When Torolowski arrived at the store, When the suspect started the car, Meijers’ loss prevention said the man he saw the suspect quickly walking reports said Torolowski drew his weapon stole a brown leather jacket worth about VOS toward the parking lot, with one of and ordered the man to shut off the car. $100. ATTORNEY (734) 4554250 Woman dives before train PLYMOUTH BY SCOTT SPIELMAN Warren Road, between Lotz and Hix train. A 40-year old Canton woman threw roads. Canton Fire department pronounced her herself in front of a train Sunday According to reports crossing gates deceased at the scene. afternoon, according to Canton police were down, bells were clanging and a train The train stopped in Novi, near 12 Mile reports. was approaching. and Taft roads, according to reports. Witnesses reported seeing the woman, Chen apparently waited for the train to Railroad police officer Gerald Kolpacke First of M ichigan later identified as Suei Chen of Canton, get closer, then ran across the tracks and said the engineer didn’t know the train had park her car near the railroad tracks on threw her self in front of the oncoming is pleased to announce struck anyone. RALPH SHUFELDT has joined us as an Investment Executive Victim, MSU senior, ‘touched people’ in our Dearborn office. First of Michigan Corp. is a full-service Continued from pg. 1 determine if alcohol was a factor in the the family’s property in northern Michigan. investment banking firm with more than accident. Results from the test could take “She didn’t have any real hobbies, sixty years of experience helping driver said in the reports. from one to three weeks to receive. because she always thought a time would investors determine and achieve their “Witnesses gave four different reports of financial goals. We would like to put this “He has been released, but the come where she could relax and enjoy her experience to work for you. Please stop by what happened,” Schemanske said. “One of investigation continues,” Schemanske said. hobbies,” he said. or call us at your earliest convenience. them said she jumped toward the car as if Morante was a bright, energetic woman, Thursday’s tragedy was the sixth fatal asking for a ride.” according to her father, John Kenely.