The country star just said, "Thursday night I decided to drive myself home after drinking at a friend's show in downtown Nashville. It was a poor and selfish decision and I apologize to everyone who was unknowingly put at risk and let down by it. It won't happen again."

Truth be told, it wasn't Thursday night ... it was Thursday at 6 AM. Hunt was in a bar Wednesday night partying with some folks, but the bars close at 2 AM. Cops saw Sam swerving and driving down the wrong side of the road at 6 AM, pulled him over and noticed he reeked of alcohol.

He was clearly wasted ... police asked for his driver's license, which was in his lap, but instead he gave them a credit card and his passport. He did poorly on the field sobriety test and blew a .173 ... way over the legal limit.