Romance writer Faleena Hopkins reported missing days after release from jail in Wyoming

A romance novelist who once trademarked the word “cocky” was arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase through a Wyoming national park — but has been missing ever since her release from jail.

Faleena Hopkins, 52, was arrested Jan. 27 after leading cops on a 24-mile pursuit through Grand Teton National Park that only ended when officers used spike strips to deflate her tires.

The romance author went missing three days after her arrest, on the same day she was released from jail, the Jackson Hole Daily reported, the alarm being raised by family and friends.

A friend of Hopkins confirmed to the newspaper that the writer, who mostly resides in Seattle, Wash., hadn’t been seen or heard from since Jan. 30.

While Hopkins is best known for her raunchy “Cocker brother” romance series that spans 22 titles, she also made national headlines in 2018 when she registered for and received a trademark on the word “cocky.”

The trademark spurred “Cockygate,” according to Vox, where Hopkins started to take action against other authors who wanted to use the word “cocky” in romance novel titles, which caused a huge upheaval in the romance novel industry and caused Hopkins to eventually surrender the trademark registration.

Hopkins faces a slew of charges from the Jan. 27 car chase including stopping or parking on the roadway, fleeing or attempting to elude police and driving in excess of the posted speed limit.

Hopkins’ missing-person profile said she was last seen in Jackson on Jan. 30, the same day she was released from Teton County jail.

“She is a white female, approximately 5’7”, 135 pounds, with green eyes and blond hair,” the DCI’s profile said. “Faleena has an infinity symbol on her left wrist, ‘Follow All Instincts’ on her right wrist, a lion face on her left shoulder and a hummingbird on her right ankle.”

Hopkins, a well-known romance writer with nearly 50 titles listed on Amazon, is now listed on the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation’s Missing Persons page.

She is still due to appear in federal court at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 for an arraignment.