A Prescott-area man now faces a potential prison term after a Yavapai County jury found him guilty of driving high on methamphetamine with a 12-year-old in the car, along with a stack of related felonies.
Jurors last Thursday convicted 45-year-old Robert Casimer Luft on multiple counts, including aggravated DUI with a passenger under 15, child abuse and drug-possession charges. Luft is scheduled for sentencing on June 30, 2026.
The traffic stop and evidence
According to prosecutors, the case dates back to Aug. 8, 2024, when Yavapai County deputies pulled Luft over after spotting erratic driving near Highway 69 and Agua Fria Road by Dewey-Humboldt. As reported by KTAR News, deputies said they found methamphetamine in Luft’s pocket at the scene, and later testing showed the drug in his bloodstream.
A deputy also conducted a field DUI test during the stop, and prosecutors presented those results to the jury as part of their case that Luft was impaired behind the wheel with a child in the vehicle.
Prosecutor's statement
Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane did not soften his response in a statement released by the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.
"Impaired driving is not a harmless mistake. It is a reckless act that endangers everyone on the road," McGrane said, emphasizing that the presence of a 12-year-old passenger made the case particularly serious. Prosecutors urged jurors to convict on the child-abuse charge, arguing that putting a minor in that situation crossed a clear legal and moral line.
How the law applies
Under Arizona law, driving under the influence with a passenger younger than 15 in the vehicle triggers an aggravating factor laid out in Arizona Revised Statutes §28-1383. That specific aggravator is classified as a Class 6 felony, while other aggravating circumstances under the same statute can elevate DUI charges to Class 4 felonies.
The statute also authorizes mandatory reporting, driver’s license restrictions and ignition-interlock requirements for those convicted. Full details are outlined in Arizona Revised Statutes §28-1383.
Sentencing and next steps
In addition to the aggravated DUI and child-abuse counts, Luft, listed by prosecutors as a Prescott Valley resident, was found guilty of possession or use of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to KTAR News.
He is set to appear for sentencing on June 30, 2026, in Yavapai County Superior Court. Prosecutors say they will ask the judge to impose a prison sentence consistent with the felony convictions, and the court will handle any reporting requirements and license-related penalties required under state law.
Local context
Luft’s conviction lands amid a series of drug-related traffic stops in northern Arizona that have involved children as passengers. Earlier this spring, Yavapai deputies arrested a woman on Interstate 40 who they say was driving while high on meth with three children in the car, according to Arizona's Family.
Local prosecutors point to these recent cases as evidence of an ongoing push to crack down on impaired driving, particularly when kids are along for the ride.
