San Jose law enforcement and fire officials responded to a dramatic incident yesterday, when a car crashed into the Almaden Valley Station Post Office and caught on fire, leading to the arrest of Richard Tillman, 44, brother of the late NFL star and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman. According to a social media post by the San José Fire Department, the response to the blaze included approximately 50 personnel, who conducted defensive operations to manage the situation. The fire, reported at around 3 AM, was knocked down by 4:31 AM, with no reported injuries.
Early this morning, #SJFD firefighters responded to a fire at the Post Office on the 6500 block of Crown Blvd in south SJ. Second alarm response with ~50 personnel on scene. Defensive operations. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation.
— San José Fire Dept. (@SJFD) July 20, 2025
TOC: 2:58am; Knockdown: 4:31am. pic.twitter.com/Cy7PBWMcsz
Investigators are looking into the possibility that the crash might have been intentional. The suspect was apprehended after the vehicle he drove not only penetrated the post office structure but also set it ablaze. In a statement to USA TODAY, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said, "Postal inspectors are investigating the incident as a potentially intentional act." Richard Tillman, whose bail has been set at $60,000, is scheduled for his next court hearing on Wednesday.
The aftermath of the crash saw the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) and San Jose Fire Department (SJFD) working with U.S. Postal Inspectors to address the situation and begin investigations. The multi-agency effort is determining the lead investigating agency, with NBC Bay Area reporting that a source familiar with the case indicated the suspect claimed to be Pat Tillman's brother and had live-streamed the event on social media.
