Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 1

t- ii Mi Family 1mm Gmdeiis i4 close look at 3 of the city 's greenest Estate, IB Reid Leads POA Stadler, Thompson one back Sports, 1C 9 srnis, dad in Softball tourney Hews, 3A Metro Saturday Mostly sunny. High 82, low 60 Sunday. Mostly sunny Details, Page 2A August 12, 1989 For home delivery call 222-6500 20 cents On Guard For 158 Years 9um Browned cMdken's feather is eharsed with murder 1 i 4 Sporting gesture Detroit Pistons captain Isiah Thomas takes to the Palace floor for Friday's game to raise money for sports programs in the Detroit Public Schools. The game could raise as much as $300,000, according to Matt Dobek, Pistons director of public relations. A By Dennis Niemiec, Joe swickard and joel thurtell Free Press Staff Writers The father who had claimed a leg cramp forced him to drive the family station wagon into the Detroit River on Aug.

3, drowning his four small children, was charged Friday with first-degree murder in their deaths. Lawrence DeLisle, 28, of Lincoln Park was also charged with attempting to murder his wife, Suzanne, who survived the incident on the Wyandotte waterfront. DeLisle confessed that he "intentionally pressed down on the accelerator" and drove the car into the river to "get rid of his present burdens his children and his wife," said Wyandotte Detective Sgt. Daniel Galeski. Police Chief Edward Rothermal said police at first believed the crash" was an accident, but changed their minds as the investigation proceeded.

"We believe it was premeditated," said Rothermal during a Friday morning news conference. "The premeditation goes back some time the individual was looking for an opportunity." Law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said they became suspicious of DeLisle when he claimed he didn't swim out of See MURDER CHARGES, Page 11A Crash witnesses upset, shocked. Page 11 A. Visitors to crash site have minds made up. Page 1 1 A.

4 TV anchor Bill Bonds treated for alcoholism BY JOHN SMYNTEK Free Press Features Editor WXYZ-TV anchor Bill Bonds, who has dominated Detroit television news for more than 20 years, has voluntarily entered the Community Psychiatric Center Laguna Hills Hospital in Orange County, California, to undergo treatment for alcoholism with Dr. Joseph Pursch, a nationally renowned expert on the disease. "Yes, I am finally addressing a problem that has been in the offing for a long time," said Bonds in a Channel 7 press release Friday. "I'm now in treatment with people who are familiar with and knowledgeable about alcoholism. I'm facing one day at a time." Tom Griesdorn, station vice president and general manager, said that Bonds, 56, has been at the facility since July 20.

Asked about the long delay in announcing his whereabouts Bonds last appeared on the air July 14 Griesdorn said it was because "Bill asked me to" keep it undisclosed. Asked when Bonds might reappear, Griesdorn said "nothing further need be said" and answered "no comment" to further Bonds inquiries. In the press release, Griesdorn said Friday's announcement came at Bonds' request and was made with the 0 It WILUAM ARCHIEDetroit Free Press Lawrence DeLisle, 28, stands at his arraignment on Friday in 27th District Court in Wyandotte. The Lincoln Park resident was charged with first-degree murder in the Aug. 3 drowning of his four children.

Detroit Free Press Bill Bonds support of Pursch, medical director of the Center Point chemical dependency center, a hospital subdivision. In the release, Pursch a retired Navy doctor who has been described as one of America's foremost authorities on the disease by Forbes magazine reported Bonds' health is good, and that both his motivation for recovery and prognosis are excellent. See BONDS, Page 10A first blush, Hit shows that GM is going to be a littleaggressive.fr ta Cekmsei analyst with J.D. Power Associates in Agoura Calif. for the automaker's Ford division, has said Ford expects 1990 retail price increases to average 4.8 percent.

Chrysler spokeswoman Karen Stewart said, "We always pay attention to what competitors do with respect to pricing." GM declined to disclose prices on specific models, but said dealers would be notified of the changes next week. Cars in the showroom may show increases considerably larger man the average 3.4 percent GM quoted Friday. One reason is that all automakers See AUTO PRICES, Page 10A -A bills and family loans at the time of the crash into the Detroit River in which their four small children drowned, according to Lawrence De-Lisle's uncle, William. However, William DeLisle maintained Friday that those burdens did not play a part in last week's tragedy. In fact, the pressures had begun to ease, he said, because he had See DELISLE, Page HA not suggesting this is going to be sold to the average guy for awhile.

But once we clear those hurdles, we hope people will realize this thing is no more dangerous than many other things in our homes." Talbert estimates it will require two years' work to perfect the battery. Meanwhile, Peripheral has come to the Pentagon, which uses nearly three million batteries a day. At least one Navy engineer has expressed serious interest Peripheral's game plan is to build small versions for use aboard satellites and underwater applications first, before building keg-sized ones that could power vehicles and homes. By Mark Thompson Mi $18,000 debt, family tragedies were among father burdens 3 GM comes in low on plans for 1990-model price hikes mwm mm A community memorial service for the DeLisle children will be held at 10 a.m. today at St.

Alfred Roman Catholic Church, 9350 S. Telegraph, in Taylor. The children were cremated. If Michigan Friday 426 and 2293 Lotto jackpot J3 milltoa Ohio Friday 7S2 and 7246 Lotto jackpot $3 million President George Bush names William Lucas to a lesser Justice Dept position. Page 6A.

by Dennis Niemiec And georgea kovanis Free Press Staff Writers Tragedy and financial worries followed Lawrence DeLisle like an ominous shadow. With one income and a wife and four children to support the quiet 28-year-old faced a familiar American dilemma: too many bills and too little cash. The family owed $18,000 mainly in charge accounts, medical I WIUJAM ARCHIEDetroit Free Press Stuffed animals, Bibles, flowers and a flag are piled at the end of Eureka Road in Wyandotte, where the DeLisle family car plunged into the Detroit River. The barricade was erected after the accident. Forever Ready Batteries? by Janet braunstein Free Press Automotive Writer General Motors Corp.

announced Friday that initial 1990-model price increases will average 3.4 percent, or about $500 per vehicle, undercutting increases that had been expected from Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Corp. The move could force the country's No. 2 and No. 3 automakers to revise their 1990-model pricing plans, which had included price increases averaging nearly 5 percent based on early fleet-sale pricing lists, industry analysts said.

"At first blush, it shows that GM is going to be a little aggressive," said Chris Cedergren, an analyst with J.D. Power Associates in Agoura Hills, Calif. Tom O'Grady, an analyst with Inte grated Automotive Resources in Wayne, predicted that GM might have set off "an anxious waiting game to see who comes in with the lowest increase." Ford spokesman Dave Krupp said, "I can't say at this stage whether we'll react in any way." Ford has announced only prices for sales to fleet owners before the 1990 model year starts Oct. 1, and "we won't announce our final prices until some time in September. If we feel adjustments are necessary then, we'll make them." Thomas Wagner, general manager wmm Bridge IOC Business 20A Classified Index 5B Comics IOC Crossword Puzzle HC Dateline Michigan 4 Death Notices 71 Editorials Feature Page 12C Horoscope IOC Jumble 7B Movie Guide HC Names Faces 12C Obituaries lM Stock Markets 20A Television 17A Volume 159.

Number 96 1989, Detroit Free Press WASHINGTON The chairman of a small Oregon firm has visions of nuclear batteries dancing in his head. Three months ago, Peripheral Systems Inc. of Portland won a U.S. patent for its battery design, which converts decaying radioactive material sealed inside the battery directly into electricity. A prototype, the size of a soup can, weighs seven pounds and generates 75 watts of power.

Peripheral says its battery uses one-thirtieth of an ounce of stronthim-90. Philip Talbert, the chairman, says the battery could last for 30 years. But Talbert admits he may have a tough sell. "It's going to take educating the public and getting rid of a lot of political red tape," he said this week. "We're.