Richard Tillman, the man who allegedly rammed a vehicle into a San Jose post office and set it ablaze early Sunday, was due in court Wednesday for arraignment on criminal charges.
The younger brother of former NFL star and Army hero Pat Tillman, allegedly bought items to make his car an incendiary device, according to a report from the Mercury News, citing court documents.
The 44-year-old Tillman bought Insta-logs and lighter fluid from a supermarket about two hours before the crash and fire, the court documents say.
An officer at the scene Sunday said Tillman scattered the logs throughout his car and doused them with lighter fluid. He then allegedly backed the vehicle into the post office building on Crown Boulevard in San Jose’s Almaden Valley and lit the car on fire using a match.
Court records also reveal Tillman livestreamed the fire on his YouTube account under his pseudonym and didn’t stop broadcasting until the officer ended the livestream and arrested him.
Tillman’s family says he has struggled with his mental health, and they’ve called it impossible to get him care. It’s unclear if Tillman couldn’t find proper mental health care over the years or just refused it. But in jail, he will find it.
“The arrest could be a blessing in disguise for Mr. Tillman,” legal analyst Steven Clark said, adding that Tillman will get an evaluation, triage and medical treatment at the main jail. But only if he wants it.
“This will be a voluntary process,” Clark said. “He will receive the opportunity for services and medication. But you cannot force him to take medication at that level.”
The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, says some patients do refuse services. NAMI says Santa Clara County provides great help for anyone who needs it, many times for free. But the agency fears budget cuts could prevent the county from expanding these critical services.
“Mental health afflicts 1 in 3 people, and there has been more need for it,” said Rovina Nimbalkar, executive director for NAMI Silicon Valley, referring to treatment. “We have seen an uptick in numbers.”
If Tillman accepts treatment, Clark feels he could avoid prison time altogether if he’s convicted, or if he’s not able to stand trial.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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