A former Jacksonville firefighter might spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury convicted him Thursday of sexual assault, kidnapping and attempted murder.

Daniel Archie Evans, 31, was convicted Thursday of grabbing a woman from behind in front of the Burrito Gallery on Adams Street in June 2012, dragging her into a nearby alley and beating and raping her.

Jurors took about an hour and half to come out with the verdict. Sobbing followed from both sides, but Evans showed little emotion.

He will be sentenced the week of Sept. 9 by Circuit Judge Adrian G. Soud, and the maximum punishment allowed is life without the possibility of parole.

The 25-year-old victim testified she could not identify Evans because she kept her eyes closed throughout the ordeal. She was knocked to the ground and dragged into the alley after leaving a downtown bar about 2 a.m. on Forsyth Street.

The Times-Union does not identify rape victims.

Prosecutors said Evans beat and raped her to the point she lost consciousness. On the witness stand the victim said she'd never met Evans and had no history with him.

Despite the victim being unable to identify Evans, Assistant State Attorney Alan Mizarahi said Evans' DNA was on her clothes. He also left a shoe at the scene matching the other shoe on Evans' foot when he was taken into custody.

Evans had also parked his car right outside of Dos Gatos, the bar the victim had left minutes before the assault occurred, Mizrahi said.

Mose Farrell and Robin White saw the rape occurring from a nearby parking garage and ran downstairs and flagged down a police officer driving by.

White testified Wednesday that she thought the victim was already dead because she'd been beaten up so badly.

Police arrested Evans as he tried to flee the scene, hiding in some bushes. He told police he heard screaming in the alley and ran to hide in the bushes because he thought someone was trying to rob him.

Attorneys for Evans said the state hadn't proved he was the one in the alley. They argued that the victim had been drinking alcohol throughout the day and it was too dark in the alley for Farrell and White to identify Evans.

Farrell said it was definitely Evans he saw assaulting the woman that night. He got a good look at his face in the alley and also saw him slip while fleeing and slam his head against the ground.

Evans had a big gash on his face when he was arrested.

He was fired by the fire department after his arrest.

larry.hannan@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4470