State Sen. Ron Menor was arrested at 12:30 a.m. yesterday on suspicion of drunken driving, police said. Menor blamed the incident on a faulty contact lens and a broken foot.

He posted $500 bail and was released at 2 a.m.

Police said Menor, 52, D-17th (Mililani, Waipi'o), was arrested on the H-1 near the Lunalilo on-ramp. Police had no comment regarding if Menor took a sobriety test, and his blood alcohol level was not released. There was also no comment on other factors such as if speeding were involved.

But last night, Menor released the following statement:

"Last evening, I attended a concert at Blaisdell Center arena with my two sons. After the concert ended, I drove with my sons to a nearby restaurant for a late-night meal. I consumed one to two small glasses of wine with my meal.

"Later, we were heading back to our home in Mililani when our vehicle was stopped by a patrol car on the H-1 freeway. The officer who stopped me informed me that he did so because I was driving too slow. I was in fact driving slowly because I had been wearing a single contact lens from an old prescription after having recently lost both of my prescription lenses.

"My replacement lenses have been on order from my ophthalmologist. The older, single lens I was wearing was giving me some unanticipated problems as the night wore on, and was slipping in my eye just before I was stopped. Because of a medical condition affecting my eyes, my vision is not correctable with glasses.

"I was asked at the scene to blow into a device that would measure my blood alcohol content. I agreed to do so, and provided the police with a sample of my breath. I was also asked to participate in a field sobriety test. I declined to do so, not only because of impaired vision, which I was experiencing, but also because my fractured left foot that I had sustained previously made it difficult to walk.

"The police arrested me, and took me to the main police station nearby. I declined to take any further tests given the circumstances. I have since been advised that I would've passed the subsequent intoxilyzer test; however, I can't change my past decision."

Declining to take the blood-alcohol tests leads to an automatic DUI arrest.

Police did say Menor was returning from a "function" with his family.

Menor also said in his statement:

"I would like to deeply apologize to my family, friends, colleagues, constituents and our community as a whole for this incident. It is my hope that this statement will help clarify matters regarding last night's arrest. I respectfully decline to comment further at this time, pending final resolution of all proceedings in this matter."

Menor's district includes a portion of Waipahu, a portion of Mililani and a portion of Mililani Mauka.

Menor may be best known as the driving force behind the gas cap law, which was repealed after eight months. He's also the chairman of the Energy and Environment Committee and serves on the Health Committee and Ways and Means Committee.