Corrects earlier version that stated Bowman pleaded not guilty: He's set to enter a plea in January.

Twenty-one-year-old Lauren Ann Freeman lay dead on the Sunset Strip, and a Bentley reportedly belonging to Girls Gone Wild executive Ryan Bowman allegedly kept going after striking her outside the Roxy club.

Somebody's got to pay. But Bowman, originally booked on suspicion of manslaughter, was charged with a much lesser felony of hit-and-run. His bail, once at $2 million, was reduced Monday to a more hit-and-run appropriate $50,000. He made bail at 4:18 p.m. Monday, according to the county Sheriff's Department.

And Bowman, the 34-year-old distributor of Girls Gone Wild videos in Australia, pleaded not guilty was set to make a plea next year.

It feels like whatever case authorities thought they had against the Australian fell apart.

He turned himself in Thursday afternoon following the Wednesday night tragedy. But, as far as we know, there was no evidence proving he was behind the wheel or, as sheriff's officials alleged, possibly drunk.

Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden S. Fox told Bowman he's taking his passport, and that he's to stay in L.A. County.

Freeman was struck by the Bentley about 11:50 p.m. Wedesday, and authorities said there was debris from the car at the scene.

Again, the question for a jury, if this even gets this far: Was Bowman driving, and did any witnesses see him behind the wheel?

Bowman was due back in Beverly Hills court Jan. 4.

-With reporting from City News Service. Got news? Email us. Follow us on Twitter, too: @dennisjromero.

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