A 27-year-old Patrick County man escalated a simple speeding offense to a felony violation and two years in prison in Lunenburg County, according to a news release from the Lunenburg County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office. Joseph William Johanknecht was convicted recently in Lunenburg Circuit Court of a felony of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer, a misdemeanor of resisting arrest, and a misdemeanor of eluding police in a vehicle. The release from the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office cited he was sentenced to seven years in prison with all suspended except two years to serve. According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Clement, the traffic incident leading to his arrest took place May 26 when Virginia State Trooper J.T. McGhee detected by radar a vehicle speeding 75 mph in a 55 mph zone on State Route 138 near the Mecklenburg County line. “As McGhee gave chase, the 2012 Cadillac CTS jumped a small ditch, went into a field, turned around and traveled north on Route 138,” Clement said. “Within a mile or so the car slowed and entered the