(a) A person is guilty of aggravated assault of a public transit employee when such person (1) commits assault of a person who is a public transit employee, as provided in section 53a-167c , and (2) in the commission of such offense, uses or is armed with and threatens the use of, or displays or represents by such person's words or conduct, that such person possesses a knife or box-cutter, or a pistol, revolver, shotgun, rifle, machine gun or other firearm.
(b) Aggravated assault of a public transit employee is a class C felony, except that such person shall be fined not more than twenty thousand dollars.