Darius McCrary, known for playing Eddie Winslow on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters, was arrested near the U.S. Mexico border Sunday on an out of state felony warrant related to child support obligations.
The 49 year old actor was taken into custody at 7:17 p.m. on October 5 by United States Border Patrol agents and is currently being held in a San Diego jail without bail, according to booking records.
McCrary’s representative told TMZ the warrant originated in Michigan due to a missed court appearance regarding failure to pay child support. Online booking information lists the arrest as a fugitive case, and San Diego Courts records show an open criminal case with a first court date scheduled for Wednesday, October 15.
Border Patrol involvement suggests McCrary was apprehended in southern San Diego County near the international border, an area where federal agents maintain regular operations. The circumstances that led to the arrest have not been disclosed by authorities.
This arrest marks at least the third time McCrary has been taken into custody since 2015, according to reports.
The child support obligations stem from McCrary’s divorce from ex wife Tammy Brawner. The couple filed for divorce in 2017 and finalized the separation in February 2019. As part of the settlement, McCrary was ordered to pay $1,366 monthly in child support, comprising $916 base support plus $415 for child care costs.
Brawner was granted full legal and physical custody of the couple’s daughter Zoey, who was three years old at the time of the divorce finalization. McCrary received professionally monitored Sunday visitations from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with restrictions designed to lessen progressively after completing 10 visits.
The divorce agreement also required McCrary to attend alcohol and drug abuse classes as well as batterers intervention programs within 12 months. Court documents from the proceedings revealed a contentious custody battle.
McCrary rose to fame playing Eddie Winslow, the eldest son on Family Matters, which aired from 1989 to 1998 on ABC and became one of the network’s longest running sitcoms. The show, a spinoff of Perfect Strangers, focused on the Winslow family and their nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White.
Since Family Matters ended, McCrary has appeared in various television shows and films, though he has not achieved the same level of prominence he enjoyed during the sitcom’s run. He has worked in theater productions and made guest appearances on shows including The Young and the Restless.
Child support enforcement across state lines falls under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, which allows states to cooperate in collecting support obligations. When individuals fail to pay court ordered support or miss required appearances, warrants can be issued that remain active regardless of which state the person enters.
California and Michigan have reciprocal agreements for enforcing family court orders, enabling authorities in either state to act on warrants issued by the other. Such arrangements help custodial parents receive court ordered support even when the paying parent relocates.
Failure to pay child support can result in various consequences including wage garnishment, license suspension, property liens, and in cases involving willful non payment or flight from the jurisdiction, criminal charges. Whether prosecutors will pursue felony charges against McCrary depends on factors including the amount owed and whether non payment is deemed willful.
McCrary has not released a public statement about the arrest. His next scheduled court appearance will determine how the case proceeds, including whether Michigan authorities will seek extradition or if the matter can be resolved in California courts.
