Suspect Arrested After Car Crashes Into Post Office Setting It Ablaze
July 20, 2025
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A car slammed into a post office in San Jose, California, early Sunday morning, sparking a fire and prompting a police response that led to one suspect being taken into custody, according to a local NBC affiliate.
The San Jose Fire Department (SJFD) said in a Sunday social media post that it responded to a fire around 3 a.m. local time.
Newsweek has reached out to the San Jose Police Department (SJPD), the SJFD, Santa Clara County Sheriff Office, and the U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service (USPSIS) for comment and confirmation via email on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Postal inspectors confirmed to ABC 7 News that the incident is being investigated as an intentional act.
A United States Postal Service (USPS) building is considered federal property and crimes committed on or against it have severe legal repercussions. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1361, individuals who willfully damage U.S. government property valued at more than $1,000 may face up to 10 years in federal prison and substantial fines.
People leave a post office on February 21 in Mission, Kansas. People leave a post office on February 21 in Mission, Kansas. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
What To Know
About 50 emergency personnel responded to a fire at the United States Post Office Almaden Valley Station in San Jose early Sunday, the SJFD said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. The fire broke out at a facility in the 6500 block of Crown Boulevard. A vehicle crashed into the office causing the spark, local affiliates of NBC and ABC reported.
The blaze was brought completely under control after nearly an hour and a half, at 4:31 a.m. local time, according to the department. No injuries were reported.
Local outlet KRON 4 reported that the SJFD Battalion Chief Josh Staley said the blaze caused loss of mail.
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.
The SJPD told the NBC affiliate that a suspect was taken into custody. A source with knowledge of the investigation told the outlet that Pat Tillman’s youngest brother, Richard Tillman, reportedly was on the scene.
A Richard Tillman has been booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail Complex on Sunday, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff Office’s inmate locator. However, the booking, as reviewed by Newsweek, does not list the booking charges nor the individual’s birthday. No bail is allowed.
Pat Tillman, a California native and former Arizona Cardinals football player, left his National Football League (NFL) career to enlist in the U.S. Army following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The eldest of three brothers, he enlisted alongside his brother Kevin. Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in April 2004, nearly two years after joining the military.
What Happens Next?
The investigation into the crash and fire is ongoing, with the SJPD, SJFD and U.S. Postal Inspection Service all working on it.
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