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Who is Richard Tillman? Ex-NFL Hero Pat Tillman's brother arrested after fiery crash into San Jose post office
Richard Tillman, brother of NFL player Pat Tillman, arrested for allegedly crashing into California post office, causing a fire.
Richard Tillman, the 44-year-old brother of the late NFL player and Army hero Pat Tillman's brother, was detained after he allegedly crashed into a California post office early in San Jose on Sunday morning, causing a fire that destroyed the building.
“Shortly after 3 a.m., the San Jose Fire and Police Departments responded to reports of a vehicle on fire in the box lobby area at the Almaden Valley Station Post Office. The fire was extinguished with no injuries,” the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) said, as per ABC News.
Richard Tillman in police custody
San Jose police arrested Tillman and placed him into Santa Clara County Jail, as per the USPIS. He is is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
In news footage taken later that morning, workers were seen entering the Almaden Valley Post Office on Sunday after dozens of firefighters were arrived to douse the flames on Crown Boulevard.
On the wall, there was graffiti that said, “Viva La Me.”
In an interview with ABC 7, USPIS inspector Matthew Norfleet stated: “Postal inspectors are investigating as an intentional act, it will be determined in a court of law if it was.” According to him, it is assumed that all the mails inside the building have been destroyed.
About 50 firefighters responded to the post office fire scene, the San Jose Fire Department stated on X on Sunday. No casualties were recorded.
What we know about Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman, who played football at Arizona State University and went on to the NFL after leading his San Jose high school team to a championship, was murdered in Afghanistan in 2004 while serving as a US Ranger.
In May 2004, he was shot three times in the head at the age of 27 by US soldiers who suspected he was an enemy. The Arizona Cardinals player even declined a multimillion-dollar deal with the organization to join the US Army after the September 11 attacks.
