Federal postal investigators are working to figure out why a car slammed into a neighborhood post office in San Jose, California, early Sunday morning, setting off a chain of events that has left an entire community shaken and asking questions.
The post office, known as the Almaden Valley Station, erupted into flames after the impact. By the time firefighters arrived, the front of the building was burning fiercely, and crews battled the blaze in the early hours of the morning. Officials confirmed that no one was hurt, but the images of the charred lobby and blackened mailboxes have stirred concern and disbelief across the area.
San Jose Police identified the driver as Richard Tillman, the 44‑year‑old brother of the late NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman. Richard Tillman was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of arson. His arrest alone has drawn national attention, given the legacy of his brother, who famously left his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals to serve after the September 11 attacks and was later killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
Today for @KQEDnews I scoured through the social media of Richard Tillman, Pat’s youngest brother now accused of driving his car into a post office in San Jose. Previous FB posts include threats against USPS employees and his family, who wanted him to get him help. pic.twitter.com/Q0163JTXd9
— Brian Krans
(@citizenkrans) July 21, 2025
(@citizenkrans) Authorities say the crash happened shortly after 3 a.m. A vehicle plowed through the front of the post office, ending up in the box lobby area. According to a statement from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the fire started soon after. Firefighters moved quickly to extinguish the flames, and despite the extensive damage to the building, there were no reported injuries.
Investigators are piecing together clues, and some of those details have added new layers to the mystery. Sources told ABC News that words had been spray‑painted on parts of the building. It is not yet clear who painted them or what they mean. Federal investigators are also reviewing claims that the driver live‑streamed the entire event as it happened. If confirmed, that video could shed light on what drove this sudden and destructive act.
Another unanswered question is whether the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Officials have not released any information on that point, leaving many to wonder what state of mind he was in when he drove into the building.
ABC News has reached out to the Pat Tillman Foundation for a statement from the family. So far, no comment has been made public. The family’s connection to one of America’s most recognized stories of sacrifice and service has added emotional weight to the case, leaving many struggling to connect the dots between a hero’s legacy and this strange, devastating event.
A one-time Fresno man is under arrest after a fiery crash at a San Jose post office on Sunday.
Richard is the younger brother of Pat Tillman, the late NFL star turned Army Ranger who died in Afghanistan.
Watch my latest reporting for @ABC30 pic.twitter.com/U9mZlazzMQ
— Gabe Ferris (@GabeABC30) July 22, 2025
For now, the burned‑out post office stands as a stark reminder of the questions still hanging in the air. What led Richard Tillman to drive into a federal building in the middle of the night? What was the meaning behind the spray‑painted words? And if a live‑stream exists, what exactly does it show?
The answers have not come yet, but the investigation continues—and so do the questions.
