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After a car crash triggered a fire at San Jose’s Almaden Valley Station Post Office, 44-year-old Richard Tillman, brother of the late NFL star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman, was taken into custody early Sunday. Authorities are investigating the incident as a potentially deliberate act of arson.
According to the San Jose Fire Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the crash occurred just before 3 a.m. on the 6500 block of Crown Boulevard. A vehicle, allegedly driven by Richard Tillman, rammed into the post office lobby and caught fire, resulting in a two-alarm blaze that caused extensive damage to the facility. The building is now considered a total loss.
Approximately 50 firefighters responded to the scene and extinguished the flames by 4:30 a.m. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Photos released by the fire department showed the vehicle completely charred inside the burnt-out structure.
Authorities said Tillman identified himself at the scene and allegedly told officers he live-streamed the crash on a social media platform. He also reportedly spray-painted the phrase “Viva La Me” on the building’s exterior before the incident. The meaning behind the message remains unclear, and investigators have not commented on a possible motive.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed that Richard Tillman was arrested on suspicion of arson. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet stated that federal postal investigators believe the act was likely intentional.
“It certainly seems like a possibility that this fire was intentionally set,” Norfleet said, adding, “Why anybody would do that is beyond explanation.”
The incident has had a ripple effect on local postal operations. Customers of the Almaden Valley post office with PO boxes or notice-left mail must now retrieve their items from the Willow Glen Post Office, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Richard Tillman is known publicly due to his outspoken views following the death of his brother, Pat Tillman, who competed for Arizona State and was part of the Sun Devils’ roster during their 1997 Rose Bowl run. He later played for the Arizona Cardinals for four seasons, before leaving a multimillion-dollar NFL contract to serve in the U.S. Army after the 9/11 attacks. He served overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, but eventually spoke out against the war, calling it at one point “f****** illegal,” according to SF GATE.
Pat was killed in 2004 by friendly fire in Afghanistan, a fact initially misrepresented by the military. Richard gained attention after challenging religious remarks during Pat’s funeral, stating:
“He’s not with God. He’s f***** dead. He’s not religious,” Richard said at the time. “So thanks for your thoughts, but he’s f****** dead.”
Before the arrest, Richard had worked as an actor, comedian, and children’s book author. He created the Luna-Tikes series focused on teaching empathy and kindness to young readers.
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