Late NFL star Pat Tillman's brother to undergo mental competency test before trial over crash

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The brother of late NFL star-turned-soldier Pat Tillman will undergo a mental competency test before his trial on arson and vandalism charges, a judge ordered Wednesday.

Richard Tillman, 44, of San Jose was arrested after he allegedly rammed a car into a post office in a San Jose, California, strip mall around 3 a.m. Sunday. He then set the car on fire inside the building, which went up in flames, San Jose police said. No injuries were reported.

During his arraignment Wednesday, his attorney raised doubts about Tillman's ability to stand trial. The judge ordered a competency test and set bail at $135,000.

Tillman, with a long beard and shoulder-length hair and his hands in handcuffs, waved at television cameras as he entered the courtroom. He told the judge he didn’t want his court-appointed defense attorney, calling him “incompetent.”

He also said he didn't want to be released on bail.

“I don’t need bail. I don’t have anywhere to live,” he said.

Tillman was booked on suspicion of arson and vandalism. He is also charged with a felony count of possessing combustible materials for the purpose of arson, according to court documents. Tillman allegedly used fire-starter logs and lighter fluid bought from a grocery store to make his car into an incendiary device, the Mercury News reported.

Tillman kept livestreaming a video of the fire on YouTube even as he was being interrogated by a San Jose police officer, the newspaper reported.

After the crash, his brother Kevin Tillman said in a statement that Richard Tillman had been suffering from “severe mental health issues” for many years, and the family was relieved no one was hurt.

“Unfortunately, securing the proper care and support for him has proven incredibly difficult — or rather, impossible. As a result, none of this is as shocking as it should be," the family statement said.

Pat Tillman left the Arizona Cardinals to join the military after 9/11 and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 at age 27. His family is from the San Jose area.

Kevin Tillman also left his Major League Baseball career with the Anaheim Angels to serve in the military.

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Rodriguez reported from San Francisco.

FILE - Former Arizona State player Pat Tillman's wife Marie Tillman, center, and his brother Richard Tillman, left, applaud as they watch Pat's name and jersey number enshrined in the university's ring of honor during halftime ceremonies between Washington State and Arizona State, Nov. 13, 2004, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors, File)

This photo provided by the San Jose Fire Department shows firefighters responding to a fire burning after a car crashed into a Post Office, early Sunday, July 20, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (San Jose Fire Department via AP)

This photo provided by the San Jose Fire Department shows firefighters responding to a fire burning after a car crashed into the Post Office, early Sunday, July 20, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (San Jose Fire Department via AP)

This photo provided by the San Jose Fire Department shows firefighters responding to a fire burning after a car crashed into a Post Office, early Sunday, July 20, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (San Jose Fire Department via AP)

KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--

Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/

Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.

Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.

“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”

Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.

About Kuleana Rum Works

Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.

https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/