Opening statements began Tuesday in Auburn in the wrongful death case against developer and minority Sacramento Kings owner Phil Oates, 75, who was driving the Cadillac that collided with Patrick Mulderrig’s motorcycle in Granite Bay in 2024. Mulderrig’s widow, Miranda Flores, is seeking up to $30 million in damages, and her attorney Roger Dreyer told jurors he would show evidence of pain and significant economic loss, including more than $2 million in future CalPERS pension value. Oates’ attorney Chris Hogan countered that Mulderrig was unconscious throughout and never regained consciousness, asking jurors to “measure it carefully within the confines of the law.” Oates was not ticketed and prosecutors declined to file charges.
