The last time John Mathis climbed into his pickup, could've easily been the last. Hours ago he was the victim of a violent road rage shooting that could have had a deadly outcome.

Mathis was driving home around 2 in the morning near Sycamore School road and I-35, when a car began tailgating.

Mathis says he did what many of us do when people are following too closely behind. He tapped his brake.

The car pulled into a church parking lot and paused for an instant. “Next thing I know, he comes along beside me and that's when I hear the shotgun blast," said Mathis.

At close range, pellets peppered his shoulder and neck. "But I'm going to make it," said Mathis.

A 911 call to police resulted in the quick capture of two suspects.

"During the investigation, they recovered a 12-gauge shotgun from the vehicle which led them to arrest the two subjects for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon," said Lt. Paul Henderson, Ft. Worth Police.

The suspects, 23-year-olds Daniel Soto and John Laque, are charged in the road rage. John Mathis doesn't know why he was targeted.

He does know this: "I'm very, very lucky," said Mathis.

E-mail jstjames@wfaa.com