SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — The brother of late NFL star turned Army Ranger Pat Tillman was arrested after allegedly crashing into a San Jose post office and caught fire on Sunday, according to United States Postal Service.
The suspect has been identified as Richard Tillman, 44, the younger brother of Pat Tillman.
This is an image of Richard Tillman speaking with ABC7 in 2015 featured in a story from Sunday, July 20, 2025.
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It happened at the Almaden Valley Post Office on Crown Boulevard around 3 a.m.
“I woke up at 2:50 (a.m.) to explosion sounds, I looked out my window, the post office was on fire,” said Heather Roberts.
Roberts watched as the Almaden Valley Post office erupted in flames.
“When we went outside, there was a man standing in the parking lot with a lot of his belongings,” said Roberts.
U.S. Postal inspectors say a suspect crashed his car into the post office, the vehicle catching fire causing the entire building to go up in flames, it took dozens of San Jose firefighters to get the blaze under control.
“Postal inspectors are investigating as an intentional act, it will be determined in a court of law if it was but it does not look like an accident so far,” said Postal Inspector, Matthew Norfleet.
Postal inspectors confirm San Jose police arrested Richard Tillman, booking him into the Santa Clara County Jail.
Tillman is the brother of San Jose native and NFL star Pat Tillman, who chose to serve his country in Afghanistan as an Army ranger. Tillman was killed by friendly fire in 2004.
Pat Tillman’s photo could be seen in a box left on the sidewalk outside the crash site.
It’s believed Richard Tillman may have also tagged the front of the post office building with a graffiti message, ‘viva la me.’
“I’ve seen the graffiti; it wasn’t there yesterday, we believe the person whose car that is put it there, the meaning is not known to us,” Norfleet added.
“It’s very sad someone would do this this is our neighborhood post office,” said Rosie MacFarlane.
“This happened in our neighborhood, it impacts all of our friends and family in the area, I’m glad no one was in the building at the time,” said Alisha Morcate.
As for all the mail inside.
“At this point we’re assuming that all the mail that was in the building is burned up, gone. Unrecoverable,” said Norfleet.
It’s unknown how long the post office will be closed for repairs.
In the meantime, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, mail pick-up for PO Box customers and notice-left mail for customers normally served by the Almaden station will be made available at the following location:
Willow Glen Post Office, 1750 Meridian Ave., San Jose, CA.
It’s open Monday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Customers are instructed to provide photo ID for all mail pick-up.
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