The S.C. Highway Patrol has cleared a Columbia police officer of responsibility for crashing his cruiser into a Millwood Avenue business Sunday, injuring 11 people.

Patrolman Nole Dow, 43, told the Highway Patrol that the accelerator of his 1999 Ford Crown Victoria stuck about 6:55 p.m. A woman and an 11-year-old girl also were inside the cruiser, patrol spokesman Josef Robinson said.

Dow was taking the child, who had been reported as a runaway home, said Columbia police Capt. Carl Burke. The woman had been helping Dow find and return the child.

The car slammed into the Orange Party Shop, a neighborhood convenience store at 2480 Millwood Ave. Eleven people were taken to the hospital, but none had life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

One of the injured, Wanda Cleveland Taylor, 50, of Columbia, was released from the hospital on Sunday night, said her niece, Benita Sholar. Taylor was “heavily medicated and in pain” on Monday, Sholar said.

Thomas Allen Jr., who said he has owned the business for 8½ years, described Dow as “one of the better guys” on the police force. “I’m sorry it happened to him.”

Damage to the store is estimated at between $50,000 and $70,000.

Allen, 37, said the city has agreed to make repairs, and he hopes to reopen by the weekend.

“Man, we have a lot of work to do here,” he said Monday as he watched over the cleanup.

“I’m so happy that ... nobody was (seriously) hurt,’’ Allen said.

“I usually have a lot of neighborhood kids on this sidewalk — thank God,” he said without finishing his sentence.

Burke said Dow was on a special assignment to stop crime in the neighborhood. Dow has been employed with the police department since June 14, 1999.

Dow told the highway patrol and Burke that he backed out of a parking space in front of the convenience store and didn’t see a metal pole that supports a large sign. The sign advertises Allen’s three businesses in the strip mall: the convenience store, which has pool tables and serves food until 7 p.m. on Sundays; a liquor store; and a coin-operated laundry.

When Dow put the cruiser into forward gear, it surged out of control and through the convenience store’s glass front.

The impact tore down a wall and smashed the main counter, which houses the security system, Allen said.

A routine internal affairs investigation is under way, Burke said.

Burke acknowledged that the only indication of a mechanical problem is Dow’s account. Dow was to provide a detailed statement late Monday afternoon, but there are no early signs of a policy violation, said Burke, who is handling the investigation.

The patrol did not do an independent analysis of any mechanical failures, said spokesman Josef Robinson. But the city’s vehicle fleet shop will examine the cruiser, which undergoes standard maintenance every 3,000 miles. Burke said.

Burke said that, as far as he knows, the car was in good shape and was not particularly old for city police cruisers. He said he did not know of any prior problems with the cruiser.

Dow does not have a history of disciplinary violations or driving violations, Burke said.

The girl in the police car had been reported as a runaway on Thursday and Friday, Burke said. The officer was picking her up to help the family.

“He was just being a nice guy,” Burke said.

Staff writer Lauren Leach contributed to this report. Reach LeBlanc at (803) 771-8664 or cleblanc@thestate.com.