Man charged with attempted murder in Woodland Hills machete attack

A Woodland Hills man was charged with attempted murder Tuesday after allegedly attacking his estranged wife and her boyfriend, music industry veteran Jerry Sharell, with a machete, officials said.

Behnam Vasseghi, 57, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon on 14 felony counts -- including attempted murder, torture, assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment -- as well as a misdemeanor count of violating a restraining order, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said. If convicted, Vasseghi faces up to life in prison.

The incident unfolded about 8 a.m. Sunday, when witnesses said Vasseghi arrived at Sharell’s Woodland Hills home. Sharell -- who hosts a show on KJAZZ-FM (88.1) -- was visiting with his girlfriend inside.

“I saw a man on a motorcycle drive up, parked right across the street there, and some guy got off the motorcycle and pulled out a bouquet of flowers,” Harold Sullman told CBS-LA.

Authorities allege Vassegi broke into Sharell’s home and held the couple hostage for about three hours, cutting them with a machete and knife. Vasseghi allegedly cut Sharell’s throat and cut the tip off his estranged wife’s nose before slashing his own wrists, prosecutors said.

Vasseghi’s estranged wife was able to escape and called police, said Officer Sally Madera of the Los Angeles Police Department. When officers arrived, the woman and two men were taken to a hospital.

The woman has since been released, but the two men remained hospitalized in stable condition Tuesday, Madera said.

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kate.mather@latimes.com

ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com