This story has been updated to include comments from Pabon

House Speaker Pro Tem Dan Pabon, D-Denver, was arrested in downtown Denver late Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence, police records show.

In a statement issued Friday afternoon, Pabon said he “regret[s] the distress” caused by his arrest and intends to “remain fully cooperative” with the legal process.

“On the evening of March 17th, I was pulled over by a member of the Denver Police Department,” Pabon said. “I fully cooperated with the officer’s requests. And I will continue to remain fully cooperative throughout this process. I regret the distress this has caused my family, my friends and my constituents.”

Pabon was pulled over just after 11:30 p.m. for turning improperly at the corner of West Colfax Avenue and Glenarm Place, police said. The investigating officer became suspicious Pabon might be impaired, he wrote in a probable cause statement, because his speech was slurred, his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, his balance was unsteady and his eyes were bloodshot and watery.

The officer said Pabon failed a roadside sobriety test and then requested a blood test rather than a breathalyzer, which was performed at Denver Health. Pabon was then released to “a sober person.”

The results of the blood test weren’t available Friday afternoon, authorities said.

The arresting officer also cited Pabon for having the wrong license plates on his car, which was supposed to display his legislative plates.

Pabon was at work at the Capitol Friday but didn’t immediately return requests for comment.

The incident was first reported by CBS4 News.

Pabon, 38, is an attorney and was first elected to represent northwest Denver’s House District 4 in 2010. He played a key role establishing regulations to implement a regulatory framework for Amendment 64, the voter-approved legalization of recreational marijuana. Pabon has sponsored a number of tough-on-crime bills during his tenure in the legislature including a bill passed this year, HB 16-1017, allowing courts to sentence people arrested for DUI to appear in person before a victim impact panel and pay a $50 fee.

Pabon was also the House sponsor of SB 14-125, a bill to allow ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft a legal framework to operate in Colorado.

Speaking in support of a proposed felony DUI bill in 2014, Pabon said, “Colorado is one of three states that doesn’t have this law. When we punish multiple offenders the same as a person with one offense, it’s a problem. We need to motivate repeat offenders to finish substance abuse programs; jail time is a way to do that. I support a felony DUI law, but we need money for more jail space and there’s no money this year.”

Last session, Pabon successfully co-sponsored HB 15-1043, establishing a felony DUI for fourth-time offenders, and Gov. John Hickenlooper signed it into law.

Authorities said Pabon doesn’t have any prior DUI convictions on his record.

Pabon is due in court for an arraignment on April 18.

— ernest@coloradostatesman.com