AceShowbiz - Former "Family Matters" star Darius McCrary has blasted allegations he abused his estranged wife Karrine Steffans, accusing the hip-hop video vixen of lying to taint his reputation. The TV star, best known for his role as Eddie Winslow on the hit 1990s series, divorced Steffans earlier this year.

She recently obtained a temporary restraining order against her ex after claiming McCrary beat her with a belt in front of her son in February and attacked her again in public in November. Steffans is hoping to make the order permanent when she attends a court hearing next week (DEC), but McCrary has hit back at her allegations, insisting she is just bitter about their break-up.

He tells TMZ.com, "(Steffans) didn't take the finality of the divorce well and has resorted to her old tricks of public defamation." And the actor's adamant he would never resort to assault because he "in no way... condones anyone resorting to violence against another human being to solve a problem".