Toll collector fired for paying someone’s toll

He said the job was never about the money – it was about the people.

There is, however, a policy against paying for drivers at the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority, which operates the causeway. “I gave children suckers 20 years ago”.

Shortuse wrote: ‘You represent part of what so many like about Boca Grande – a person can be gone for years, but once they cross that bridge they’re back in the land of familiar faces.

The tollbooth worker said he did that from time to time if a driver didn’t have enough cash.

As punishment, he was offered two days a week instead of five, which he declined, so he was terminated.

An overwhelming number of local citizens who have interacted with Samsonov over the years have also voiced their opinion of the bridge authority’s decision to fire Samsonov. “This doesn’t sit will with me, what happened”, driver Jason Rice said.

Since Samsonov departure, the community has rallied to his side, posting stories about him on social media and thanking him for his years of work at the toll booth.

“If I can’t be trusted for five days, how can I be trusted for two days?” he told the NBC station. One driver likened him to “extended family”.

“I just want him to know he’s going to be missed”, said Blanche Vedette. “But bite your tongue and you’ll be ok,” Samsonov said. He says he was correcting a mistake.

While some are calling for Samonsov to get his job back, his daughter indicated he was ready to move on. His friends and family say they are exploring possible legal action to see if any Florida laws were violated.