Former University of Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan was released from jail this afternoon after his arrest late Wednesday night in Kailua on suspicion of drunken driving and promotion of a dangerous drug.

Brennan, wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts, was released without charges, pending further investigation, at about 12:15 p.m. He did not have to post bail, police said.

Officers arrested Brennan, 28, on Kailua Road near the Uluoa Street intersection just before midnight on suspicion of driving under the influence and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, police said. The drug charge is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. 

His attorney Michael Green and a woman, a family friend, greeted Brennan outside the receiving area for the cellblock. Brennan kissed the woman on the cheek and thanked her for coming. A reporter started to ask him a question but Green advised Brennan not to answer. Brennan and Green left in Green’s beige four-door Bentley, and the friend left in a car driven by another woman.

Earlier this morning, Green met with his client in the cellblock.

“This is so sad,” Green said after the meeting. “This is a guy who gave everything. … The best words to describe him now is that he is deeply sad.”

Green said a police officer stopped Brennan for going 10 miles over the speed limit while Brennan was on his way home to Kailua.

Green said Brennan is still suffering from the brain injury in the Hawaii island accident in 2010.

“There are psychological carryovers,” Green said.

Brennan’s arrest drew a small crowd at a nearby 7-Eleven store and Aloha gas station, where he failed a field sobriety test, a source said.

A small amount of drugs was found in the car. It’s not clear yet what kind of drugs are involved.

Green said he has his “suspicions” on what kind of drugs were found, but wouldn’t speculate.

He said the drugs were not pills.

Green also said Brennan told him he thought he passed the field sobriety test.

Witnesses said Brennan was wearing a T-shirt and shorts when he was pulled over while driving a red Chevy compact car.

He was described as being alone in the vehicle.

Brennan gave police an Irvine, Calif., address as his home.

Reached in California this morning, the quarterback’s father, Terry Brennan, said he had been told of an arrest by friends.

He said his son recently moved back to Hawaii to live.

In 2004 while attending the University of Colorado, a night of drinking led to Colt Brennan being found guilty of second-degree burglary and first-degree criminal trespass. He was dismissed from the Colorado team.

He was sentenced to seven days in jail and completed 60 hours of community service, four years probation and wrote a letter of apology that was published in three Colorado newspapers.

Brennan was released last month by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

Brennan was a Heisman Trophy finalist who led the Warriors to an unbeaten 2007 regular season (12-0) and a berth in the Sugar Bowl, a Bowl Championship Series game, which UH lost to Georgia.

He became a sixth round draft pick of the Washington Redskins in 2008. Despite some promising showings in preseason games, he was released by the Redskins in 2010 without having played in a regular season game and also was released by the Oakland Raiders.

In November 2010, Brennan was seriously injured in a head-on collision on the Big Island. He was a passenger in an SUV driven by girlfriend Shakti Stream of Kona on Queen Kaahumanu Highway when the vehicle crossed the center line and collided head-on with a Saab sedan. Brennan suffered a head injury, broken ribs and a broken left collarbone.

The driver of the Saab, Dr. Theresa Wang of the Big Island, suffered traumatic injuries, including to her brain and spine, and 22 broken bones.

After recovering from his injuries, Brennan joined the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League in 2011. But the team folded last summer before playing a game.