The well-dressed attacker who stabbed and nearly killed a woman in a downtown Minneapolis parking ramp last spring was convicted Thursday of first-degree assault.

A Hennepin County jury found Robert John Meyers, 48, of Minneapolis guilty of the felony, but acquitted him of a second charge, attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The jury could not reach a verdict on a charge of attempted kidnapping.

Although the state recommends a 14-year sentence, prosecutors plan to ask for 20 years. In a statement, County Attorney Mike Freeman called Meyers a "menace" and said they'd hoped to lock him up for life with an attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction.

Meyers was charged with the April 19 attack in the ramp at 800 Marquette Av. that left the 28-year-old woman with near-fatal injuries. The knife went about 10 inches into her body, through her liver and adrenal gland. She also suffered defensive wounds to her hands.

According to prosecutors, Meyers, who wore a suit and tie to blend in with the downtown business crowd, waited near the elevator of the ramp with a computer bag containing a hunting knife, red gloves and condoms. He followed the woman to her car and held the knife to her throat. When she screamed, stomped his foot and bit him, he stabbed her and tried to shove her into the car. She continued to struggle and told him to take her purse and anything else he wanted. Meyers fled, allegedly telling the woman: "You don't know how lucky you are."

Prosecutors contended Meyers wanted to drive the woman somewhere and rape her, not rob her because he didn't take her belongings.

Two weeks before the attack, prosecutors say Meyers tried the same ploy at a University of Minnesota parking ramp by dressing to look like a college student with tennis shoes, jeans and a backpack. When he approached a woman who refused to roll down her window or open her door, he got angry, went in front of the car and masturbated while looking at her. Meyers' sentencing date has not been scheduled.

Abby Simons