HOLLIS — Police said Tuesday afternoon that Sgt. Jon Tate, while on patrol around 11 a.m., was checking on how things were going at Hollis Brookline High School, the town’s polling place, when a man flagged him down in the parking lot.

According to a statement issued by Capt. Brendan LaFlamme, the man told Tate that he had just been driving on Main Street when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction crossed the center line and sideswiped the man’s vehicle.

Apparently, the driver allegedly kept going, at which time the man turned around and followed the vehicle. When the vehicle turned into the high school parking lot, the man followed, and moments later spotted Tate and flagged him down, according to LaFlamme.

The man pointed out the vehicle that allegedly sideswiped him on Main Street, and when Tate went to speak with the driver, “he immediately recognized signs of impairment,” LaFlamme said in the statement.

Tate identified the driver as Michael Gower, 64, of 40 Pepperell Road, and after a brief investigation, took him into custody and charged him with one count each of driving under the influence and conduct after an accident, both of which are misdemeanors.

Gower was transported to police headquarters for booking, after which he was released on personal recognizance bail pending an appearance in Nashua district court.

LaFlamme didn’t say whether Gower was heading to the school intending to vote, but he did say that Main Street in the area of the school “was experiencing higher than usual traffic volume” due to the large voter turnout.

There was also “a significant amount of pedestrian traffic” in the area of the school, he added, noting that police are “thankful that no one was hurt during this incident.”

LaFlamme also said police “remind the public that we firmly believe in a zero tolerance policy” when dealing with cases of impaired driving.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.