Car Thief Blinded by Police Taser at Ameristar Blackhawk Sues for Damages

A Denver car thief is suing a former deputy with the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office who he claims assaulted him and blinded him with a taser in the parking garage of the Ameristar Casino in Blackhawk, Colo.

Christopher Bustos is blind in one eye as a result of the March 2023 altercation with Filip Perry, who the sheriff’s office fired in June 2023 for using excessive force during a different arrest in the same parking lot.

Bustos is currently serving a 10-year sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections for aggravated motor vehicle theft as a result of his arrest by Perry.

On March 19, 2024, Bustos was sitting in a car at the Ameristar with an unidentified passenger when he was approached by Perry who knew the vehicle had been reported stolen.

Gun to Head

After ordering the unarmed Bustos out of the car at gunpoint, Perry repeatedly told him to “shut the f*ck up” while pointing his gun to his head in violation of the sheriff’s office’s official procedures, according to the lawsuit.

Perry then quickly reholstered his gun and, without warning, tased the plaintiff in the left eye, the complaint states.

At no point did Bustos ever swing [at] or punch Perry. At no point did Bustos ever kick Perry. At no point did Bustos ever brandish or show a firearm. At no point did Perry or any other law enforcement officer find or discover a firearm in the vehicle, in Bustos’ possession or in the passenger’s possession,” the lawsuit claims.

Bustos has permanently lost sight in his left eye and is awaiting surgery to have it removed and replaced with a prosthetic, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint argues Perry’s actions were a violation of Busto’s constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. It seeks compensation for past and future medical bills, economic losses from being unable to work, legal fees, pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, and other damages.

‘Big, Tough Lawman’

Perry was ultimately charged with official misconduct over the separate incident in July during which he allegedly slammed an arrestee into a wall.

During the internal affairs inquiry into his behavior, investigators for the sheriff’s office uncovered text messages from Perry “bragging” about blinding Bustos, per the lawsuit.

“Even if I had no bills, I’d do [the job] for free,” Perry wrote. “I’m a big, tough, lawman.”