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Maricopa cops nail California fugitive who skipped $20,000 bail




Hidden Valley resident Igena Cooter has been handed over to Santa Clara County (Calif.) Superior Court to face charges of insurance fraud and perjury. Maricopa police served as her warrant. [Santa Clara County]

Officers Maricopa pursued a California fugitive on Tuesday.

Police pulled Igena Teresa Cooter, 51, of Hidden Valley, at Circle K gas stations on the corner of Bowlin Road and John Wayne Parkway. This is the same gas station where a Maricopa officer was shot dead a week ago when he tried to arrest another fugitive.

According to deputies for Sheriff Santa Clara, Cooter had two felony warrants from Santa Clara County, California, including two felony insurance fraud and perjury. Cooter was hoping to skip the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Division and $20,000 bond.

Igena Kooter was arrested on March 4, 2025 as a fugitive from justice. [Facebook]

She was booked as a fugitive from justice.

“We’ve already started the process,” sheriff Santa Clara said, handing over the cooter to California. Immaricopa Wednesday.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Cooter was Santa Clara’s home medical aide until 2020. According to her Facebook profile and public records, she has been living at the Family Home in Hidden Valley since 2021. She has a very long criminal history.

Elias Weiss contributed to reporting this story.






David Iversen, reporter

David joined Immaricopa in January 2025 as a reporter covering education, court and lifestyle beats. A veteran investigative journalist, David has worked throughout broadcasting, printing, podcasts and documentaries. His podcast, The Line, won the DuPont Award in 2021. David, a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism, arrived at Maricopa in 2021. During his free time, he works as a freelance photographer and enjoys running and cycling along Maricopa’s zigzag sidewalks.


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