Richard Tillman Arrested in California

On Wednesday, Richard Tillman, the younger brother of the late NFL player Pat Tillman, appeared in a courtroom in California. His arrest stemmed from an incident on Sunday morning where he is suspected of arson and vandalism after crashing into a post office in a strip mall around 3 AM, as reported by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

It took about 50 firefighters an hour and a half to extinguish the flames caused by the crash. During his court appearance, Tillman was quite vocal, asserting that he was competent and did not require bail, adding that his lawyer was “no longer my lawyer.” There were doubts expressed by his attorneys about whether he would stand trial, and no pleas were entered. His bail was set at $136,000.

Richard is expected to return to court in August when a doctor will evaluate his mental competency. Kevin Tillman, another brother of Pat and Richard, mentioned that Richard was “live streaming” during the crash, sharing that he had informed police at the scene that he was Pat Tillman’s brother.

“Our family is aware of Richard’s arrest,” Kevin stated to NBC Bay Area. “Above all, we’re relieved that no one was physically harmed.” He added that they were still gathering information, remaining in contact with local authorities to gather context and background about the situation.

Kevin recognized Richard’s ongoing struggles with mental health, noting that this has been visible through his social media activity. It seems that providing him with appropriate care and support is an ongoing challenge.