A Scottsdale man was arrested early Friday in connection with a deadly road-rage incident the night before, police said.

David Ross Appleton, 59, called police about 7:10 p.m. Thursday from a CVS drugstore parking lot at Pima and Pinnacle Peak roads and reported that he had just shot someone, Scottsdale police said.

When officers arrived, they found Paul Pearson, 50, of Scottsdale, near the driver's side door of Appleton's vehicle, a Toyota SUV. Pearson was wounded from a single gunshot to his upper chest area and transported to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, where he died about 8 p.m., police said.

Appleton told police that another car had been tailgating him, so he pulled into the drugstore parking lot but was followed by the car.

Appleton told police that Pearson got out and approached the Toyota, then reached through the open window and tried to choke him.

That's when Appleton took out his revolver and told Pearson to let go, shooting the victim after he wouldn't let go, he told police.

Appleton said he saw the man fall to the ground, got out of his SUV and called 911 to report what had happened.

Appleton was taken to a Scottsdale police station for a detailed interview. As the investigation progressed into the early-morning hours, detectives found inconsistencies in his story with the physical evidence and witness accounts, police said.

He was arrested at 1:30 a.m. Friday and charged with a one count of second-degree murder.

Appleton was being held in the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail. Police said the investigation is ongoing.