A man received a sentence of 90 years to serve for the July 4 sexual assault of two young women.

William Elwin Boyd received a total of 130 years with 40 suspended. Prosecutor Susan Walton said she and the victims were pleased with the sentence.

“We’re pleased he won’t be able to do this same thing to any other unsuspecting victims,” she said. “In essence, it’s a life sentence.”

The incident happened early in the morning of July 4 of last year. Two friends stopped at a 7-Eleven store in Portsmouth. When they returned to the car and started driving again, Boyd emerged from the back seat, waving a gun, and ordered them to turn over their cellphones and purses and to drive where he told them.

Boyd pleaded guilty in October to rape, forcible sodomy and firearms charges.

As the women drove toward Suffolk on U.S. Route 58, Boyd ordered the passenger to put her seat down so she could perform oral sex on him. Later, he ordered the driver to pull over near the U.S. Route 460 exit in Suffolk. He made the passenger begin driving while he ordered the other woman into the backseat and raped her.

When the car neared Whaleyville, the woman who was being assaulted was able to grab Boyd’s firearm and throw it into the front seat to the driver. Boyd tried to retrieve the gun, and the ensuing struggle caused the car to crash into a utility pole on the side of Whaleyville Boulevard about 3:30 a.m.

The wreck caused two spine fractures for the woman who was in the backseat, Walton said. The other victim suffered a lot of cuts and bruises from the assault and wreck.

“It was just a horrifying experience for both of them,” Walton said.

Boyd fled the wreck and caused a massive manhunt that involved numerous law enforcement agencies, helicopters, police dogs and more to track the suspect. A police dog led his handler to a bloody T-shirt and firearm in the woods, and then to Boyd sititng in a clearing.

Boyd also faces charges in Portsmouth related to the crime. He has a jury trial set for May 25 on abduction, carjacking, robbery and firearms charges.