Fort Bend County Sheriff's investigators have identified two persons of interest in connection with an incident that critically injured a Home Depot employee.

Donald Thomas, 56, was struck by a van while trying to prevent the theft of a pallet at the store in the 6800 block of Fry Road.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Terriann Carlson said police want to question Saul Chicas, 32, and Julio C. Escolero, 23.

"Detectives also have information signifying that these two persons of interest were involved in similar incidents at other comparable businesses," Carlson said Wednesday in a statement. The men have not been charged with a crime.

Carlson said the pair work for an area pallet company and that police suspect the men were in the white van that struck Thomas. The van is described as a white 1996 Isuzu box van with a rear roll-up door. It had a Texas license plate 67F-BT4.

Thomas remains in critical condition at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Home Depot is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to a capture and conviction in the case.

About 9:30 p.m. Feb. 18, store employees saw a white van pull up and stop near the shipping and receiving area, Carlson said. Employees thought the driver was a customer and went to help. Thomas noticed the driver and others who were in the van were trying to steal pallets.

Carlson said the pallets were empty. Thomas was run over when he tried to stop the men.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office at 281-341-4665 or Fort Bend Crime Stoppers at 281-341-8477.

In addition to the Home Depot reward, Crime Stoppers will pay a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charge in the case.