Toll booth operator fired after 29 years on the job for paying someone's $5 toll

A 77-year-old toll booth operator was fired after 29 years on the job after using his own money to cover the toll of a driver that didn't have the money.

Vladislav 'Sam' Samsonov of Boca Grande was asked by his employer, the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority, to scale back his work days from 5 to 2 after the infraction.  Samsonov declined the suggestion and was, instead, terminated.

'In my eyes there was no crime committed, I just helped somebody out,' he said.  'I'd put the six dollars in, I got the six dollars back the next day.'

The transit authority had asked him to stop doing this, as he had been doing it for a while.

After he was fired, the community rallied around him with supportive emails, news articles and messages on social media.

The transit authority did not have a comment.