J.D. from Daytona Beach was a rookie at Baywatch years ago. Now he camps on the beach, and Donna tell him to leave the beach. Later she finds out who he is. J.D. has come back to Baywatch to apply for the vacant lieutenant position. It's between him and Taylor Walsh, a smart, confident and ambitious young woman. The Chief has recommended Taylor. Skylar is doing an exercise under the pier when something goes wrong and J.D. has to rescue her. But J.D. becomes paralyzed under the pier and Newmie is forced to rescue Skylar. When Mitch asks what happened, J.D. just tells him that he didn't see Skylar. Later Skylar asks J.D. why he lied to Mitch, and he tells her the truth. It turns out that a man died in his arms two years earlier at Daytona Beach. Later on during a rescue, instead of rescuing himself, J.D. places himself between the victim and the boat. J.D. is knocked out and Mitch has to rescue him while Taylor rescues the man in the boat. Mitch finally has a tough decision to make about (thetvdb.com)