An intoxicated motorist who was on parole for his fifth drunken-driving conviction was sentenced Nov. 12 to 15 years to life in prison for the death of a grandmother whose family was driving to Sunset Cliffs on Interstate 8 to watch the sunset. John Joseph Taskey, 47, said nothing before San Diego Superior Court Judge David Danielsen gave him the maximum term for second-degree murder in the Sept. 13, 2007 death of Rosa Degerman, 76. Deputy District Attorney David Grapilon said Taskey was convicted four times of drunken driving and had received probation for each case before being sentenced to prison for his fifth conviction in 2006. His blood/alcohol level was 0.10 percent the evening of Sept. 13 when he was arrested near the exits of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and West Mission Bay Drive. The legal limit for felony drunk driving is 0.08 percent. “I doubt that Mr. Taskey can understand what pain he has cost us. Nothing can replace her,” said Gregoria Vigil, Degerman’s daughter. “I hope his sentence is as long as possible so other families (won’t have to suffer losses).” Danielsen gave Taskey credit for already serving 426 days in jail since his arrest. Grapilon said Taskey, of La Mesa, was previously convicted of three felony and two misdemeanor charges of drunken driving. Taskey pleaded guilty Oct. 14 to the most recent second-degree murder. In return, charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two counts of drunk driving with injuries were dismissed. Degerman was riding with her son in a Ford Focus about 6:30 p.m. the night of the accident. Taskey’s adult son received a mild concussion and Degerman’s 11-year-old granddaughter suffered a fractured shoulder. Taskey was also injured.