Police identify victim, suspect in Scottsdale road rage shooting

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Police have identified two men involved in an apparent road rage incident Thursday night.

According to a Scottsdale police report, 59-year-old David Appleton called police and told them he had shot the victim after a road altercation.

He said he was driving north on Pima Road and noticed a vehicle tailgating him. He told police he pulled into a CVS store parking lot at Pima and Pinnacle Peak roads and the driver of the other vehicle followed him.

Appleton told police the other driver got out of his car, approached him and started to choke him as he sat in his car.

That's when Appleton said he pulled out a revolver and pointed it at the man to get him to let him go and when he didn't Appleton fired one shot, striking him in the chest area, according to police.

Appleton then called 911 to report the shooting.

The 50-year-old victim, identified as Paul Pearson, was taken to a Scottsdale hospital where he later died.

Police said during the interview they found inconsistencies in Appleton's account of what happened with the physical evidence and witness interviews.

Appleton was arrested at 1:30 a.m. and booked into jail on one count of second-degree murder.