By admin 
Opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday in a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit against real estate magnate and Sacramento Kings minority owner Phil Oates, who was involved in a traffic collision that killed a motorcyclist in 2024.
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Oates, who cooperated with police and was not cited in the Granite Bay incident, is being sued by the widow of the man who died, a retired CHP officer who was riding his red Harley-Davidson motorcycle west on Douglas Boulevard when Oates, in a Cadillac, turned left in front of him.
The mogul, who hosts the annual Phil Oates Celebrity Golf Classic, has taken responsibility for incident, but a jury of eight men and four women chosen Monday at Auburn’s historic Maple Street courthouse will decide how much money widow Miranda Flores should be paid in connection with her husband’s death.
Flores is seeking damages for the loss of her husband, Patrick Mulderrig, as well as for any pain and suffering he experienced before his death.
On Monday, lawyers for Flores and Oates seated the main jury panel and planned to interview potential alternate jurors Tuesday morning before giving their opening statements.
Among the potential jurors were several Placer County residents whose life experiences had brought them into contact with issues raised in the case, or with the plaintiff, defendant or fellow members of the jury pool.
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One woman said she knew Oates’ sister and that she believed Flores was seeking millions in damages because the family was wealthy.
A man said he was an attorney who represented insurance companies in personal injury lawsuits and had faced off against Flores’ lawyer, Roger Dreyer, in court. Still others said they had lost loved ones in motorcycle accidents.
Oates, wearing a dark suit, blue shirt and red striped tie, watched from the front row of the main gallery, with potential jurors filling most of the other rows. Flores, in a dress and low-heeled shoes, sat quietly in a separate section of the courtroom as jury selection proceeded.
Flores is not seeking punitive damages against Oates or asking the jury to determine liability.
No criminal charges were filed against Oates, and a sobriety test administered at the scene showed that he had not been drinking or using drugs. The police officer who responded did not issue a ticket, but referred the case to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence.
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