A Colorado man unintentionally swallowed a toothpick mixed into his meal at a Greeley restaurant that later perforated his bowel, he alleges in a lawsuit filed Tuesday. Mikel Salgado claimed he was served a toothpick at the Village Inn at 921 30th Ave. in Greeley during a meal in September 2022. He didn’t notice the toothpick in his “skillet dish” and swallowed it, the lawsuit alleges. Related Articles Courts | How a lawsuit against high-end Mexican restaurant struck a chord with local chefs Courts | My Neighbor Felix sues to shut down ex-manager’s LoHi eatery, Alma Fonda Fina Courts | Hotdog joint booted from Ball Arena, sued for $870K in unpaid fees Courts | Denver Chili’s refused to serve Black family unless they paid in advance, lawsuit alleges Courts | “I’m not trying to villainize my mom,” Tavern CEO says in bid to control restaurant group He later felt nauseous and sick and learned the toothpick had punctured his bowel. He went through several medical procedures, including the removal of his appendix, because of the toothpick, the lawsuit alleges. An attorney for Village Inn’s former ownership — the restaurant has since permanently closed — did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday. Kristofer Hofstra, an attorney for Salgado, said Wednesday that his client’s claim is “legitimate.” “He, to our knowledge, swallowed what we believe to be a toothpick, we believe he was not told it was in his food, the toothpick did cause a bowel perforation and he was forced to undergo a serious surgery and incur significant medical bills as a result,” Hoftra said. He declined to comment further. Public health records with Weld County show the Village Inn restaurant was briefly shut down when it had no hot water in May, but it was allowed to reopen in a few hours after hot water was restored. The restaurant also passed a health inspection in January, the records show. Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.